Cancer patients rate their NHS care higher than nine out of 10 in Cheshire and Merseyside

Cancer patients across Cheshire and Merseyside rate their care as higher than nine out of 10 – better than the national average.

Results from an annual NHS survey show Cheshire and Merseyside is also doing better than average on many national benchmarks for patient views about cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.

Patient experience of care is incredibly important to the NHS. Each year, NHS England and NHS Improvement run a large survey, the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, to find out more about people’s experiences of cancer services.

The survey asks questions such as how and when a patient’s cancer was diagnosed, how involved they felt in decisions about their care and treatment and how much information they were given. There are also questions about how patients felt they were treated and how much support they were given by other NHS or social services.

Cancer Alliances and trusts providing care to cancer patients really value this survey and they will be analysing it carefully to see where they’re doing well and where they can improve further.

The latest results (from the 2022 survey) – which involved over 61,000 responses nationally – have now been published and show that patients in Cheshire and Merseyside rate their care as 9.1 out of 10, above the England average of 8.9 out of 10.

Cheshire and Merseyside also scored higher than the national average in 22 out of 23 areas, including:

• 82% of patients said their diagnostic tests results were explained in a way they could completely understand (England average: 78%).
• 80% of patients thought their diagnosis was explained in a way that they could completely understand (England average: 76%).
• 85% of patients thought their treatment options were explained in a way that they could completely understand (England average: 82%).
• 70% of patients were always able to discuss worries and fears with hospital staff (England average: 64%).
• 83% of patients felt the right amount of information and support was offered between final treatment and the follow up appointment (England average: 78%).
• 67% of patients said they were given enough information about the possibility and signs of cancer coming back or spreading (England average: 62%).

There was one question where Cheshire and Merseyside scored lower than the England average:

• 60% of patients were offered information about how to get financial help or benefits (England average: 67%).

Ellie Gunner-Taylor, Patient Experience and Health Inequalities Officer at Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, said: “We are grateful to every patient who took the time to complete the survey. These findings are really encouraging as they show cancer patients receiving care and treatment in Cheshire and Merseyside continue to report positive experiences of their care across the cancer pathway.

“The Cancer Alliance and the hospital trusts across the region, will continue to use the results to learn from the experiences and views of patients, and to make improvements.”

For more information and to view the full set of results, go to: https://www.ncpes.co.uk/