Third of county cancer patients 'don't feel fully informed about progress'
More than a third of cancer patients at the trust running Shropshire’s two main hospitals said they did not feel they had been kept fully informed about whether their treatment was working, a new report shows.
Patients aged 16 and over who had cancer-related treatment with Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) between April and June 2017, were responding to the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey.
The results raised concerns about the level of information provided while patients were having treatment.
However, positive experiences were also noted and SaTH was given an overall care rating of 8.9 out of 10 – an improvement on last year.
The national average was 8.8.
The survey, carried out annually by Quality Health on behalf of NHS England, monitors patients’ impressions of their diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare.
Some 63 per cent of patients at SaTH answered ‘yes, completely’ when asked if they had been given enough information in terms they could understand about how their radiotherapy or chemotherapy was going.
The rest answered ‘yes, to some extent’ or ‘no’, which were both counted as negative responses.
A total of 89 per cent of patients said, overall, they were always treated with dignity and respect while they were in hospital and 92 per cent of patients said hospital staff gave information about support groups.
Some commented that staff were ‘outstanding’ and called their care ‘fantastic’ and ‘amazing’.
Jessica Greenwood, lead cancer nurse at SaTH, said: “The results of the survey show that we are continuing to work hard to provide the best care possible for our patients who are undergoing a diagnosis and treatment for cancer.
"However, we will also not be complacent and we will be looking at those areas where we need to improve.
"The positive comments that our patients have made about their care say a lot.”
