Published on 6 January 2025
More than eight out of ten children with cancer in Cheshire and Merseyside feel they are looked after well in the NHS.
The findings come from the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey which released its latest results – from the 2023 survey – recently.
They show that 83% of children with cancer in Cheshire and Merseyside felt they were looked after well by NHS healthcare staff and 90% of parents or carers rated the overall experience of their child's care at Alder Hey as eight or more out of 10 – both of which are higher than the national average.
In 2020, NHS England launched this national survey to measure the experience of children and young people under the age of 16 in care and treatment for. The results provide national-level insight into their experiences and informs how the NHS delivers cancer services. This survey builds on the success of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, designed for people aged 16 and over.
National findings from the latest survey were:
- 84% of parents or carers reported that they definitely had the chance to ask staff questions about their child’s care and treatment
- 87% of children felt staff were always friendly
- 66% of parents or carers reported that the hospital where their child received most of their care was about, or under, an hour’s travel from the child’s home
- 58% of parents or carers reported that they definitely had access to reliable help and support from the hospital seven days a week.
Jon Hayes, Managing Director of CMCA, said: “These are another good set of findings from the Under-16 CPES survey – but there is always work to do in improving even further treatment and care for children with cancer.
“Understanding the experience of care for people who use NHS cancer services is extremely important, and the need for personalised care and treatment is well recognised. By contributing to the survey, young people and their parents or carers help the NHS to continue to improve its services and better support children and young people living with and beyond cancer.”
Key themes from the findings nationally were:
- Staff: Staff were central to experiences of care, and positivity about their manner and personal attributes were frequently raised. Key staff attributes were friendliness and kindness, with these greatly appreciated. In addition, being listened to and understood by staff was of importance
- Communication: A range of features that characterised good communication between staff and parents, carers and children were highlighted, as well as some opportunities for improvement. Issues were experienced with communication between hospitals, within hospitals as well as with parents or carers outside of hospital stays
- Access to care: There was variation in how long it took for diagnosis and treatment to start. Access could also be impacted by waits in hospital and travel issues, including parking
- Hospital food: Hospital food was a frequently raised area for improvement, with issues around quality and choice
- Things to do in hospital: Positive experiences were shared of play, though a need for increased access and more age-appropriate offering, too. Similarly, there were calls for increased access to education which, on the whole, was positively experienced. Improvements were needed to wi-fi in hospitals and use of technology
- Hospital environment: Noise at night impacting sleep was common, with some suggestions of how this could be improved.
Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive of Young Lives vs Cancer, said: “No one understands the experience of having cancer as a child or young person better than young cancer patients, their families and carers. The Under 16 CPES is incredibly important in giving them the chance to share their experiences directly with the NHS in England and others involved in their care and support. It’s great to see that most continue to report being well looked after by healthcare staff.”
For more information and to view the full set of results, go to: https://www.under16cancerexperiencesurvey.co.uk/