Patients have rated cancer services above the national average in key areas at Teesside and North Yorkshire’s biggest hospital trust.
The latest annual National Cancer Patient Experience Survey shows that patients at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust felt that their family or carer was involved as much as the patient wanted them to be in decisions about treatment options, and patients found it easy to reach their main contact person.
The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, published this month (July 2022), was commissioned by NHS England and carried out by patient experience insight survey experts Picker.
It focused on care received by patients treated at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton which provide treatment and care for more than 1.5 million people across Teesside, North Yorkshire and beyond.
Above expected range in several key areas
The results of the national survey showed that the trust had no scores below expected range and scored above the expected range for:
- Referral for diagnosis was explained in a way the patient could completely understand
- Patient found it very or quite easy to contact their main contact person
- Family and/or carers were definitely involved as much as the patient wanted them to be in decisions about treatment options
- The right amount of information and support was offered to the patient between final treatment and the follow up appointment
- Patient was given enough information about the possibility and signs of cancer coming back or spreading
“Feedback from our patients is incredibly important to us and the results from the latest cancer patient experience survey are a testament to the care, commitment and compassion of our colleagues who make up the James Cook Cancer Institute, particularly during the pandemic and the enormous challenges that brought.”
Dr Hilary Lloyd, chief nurse at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust