21 July 2017

Cancer patients give top marks to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals for treatment and care


Sheffield Teaching Hospitals rated above average for cancer treatment and care in national patient experience survey

CANCER patients have rated Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as among the best in the country for the level of care they receive, according to a national survey.

The Trust was given an overall score of 8.8 out of a possible 10 – higher than the national average of 8.7, with the Trust receiving top marks for treatment, care, patient involvement and research.

The figures were published in the NHS England National Cancer Patient Experience Survey published today (Friday 21 July).

The Trust performed above the expected national average in a number of key areas, with patients rating the Trust staff highly for completely explaining treatment options and possible side effects in an understandable way, providing information about support groups, giving them a contact if worried post discharge, and providing them with all the information they needed before they had radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treatment.

Key achievements include:

  • 96% said that hospital staff told them who to contact if they were worried about their condition or treatment after they left hospital
  • 91% said that they were given the name of a Clinical Nurse Specialist (a specialist cancer nurse who makes sure you get the right care and gives you help and  gives you help and advice on coping with cancer) who would support them through their treatment
  • 78% said they were definitely involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment
  • 87% of respondents said that it had been ‘quite easy’ or ‘very easy’ to contact their Clinical Nurse Specialist

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides cancer care services at Weston Park Hospital, the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and the Northern General Hospital.

Tony Robinson, aged 64, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer, said he “couldn’t fault the care” he has received at Weston Park Hospital.

“The care here has been fantastic. I can’t fault it,” said Tony who lives in Loxley and walks his dog round Dam Flask every day, “I had radiotherapy treatment for seven and half weeks. I was still working, so I’d get up in the morning at 6am, go to work, and then go and have my radiotherapy at 11am. It was quite tiring. But you couldn’t meet better people – from the receptionists you meet when you come through to the door to the radiotherapists who talked to me about which football team I support. They’d also make me laugh.”

Following his course of radiotherapy treatment, Tony still attends Weston Park Hospital for regular check-ups, and receives regular hormone injections, and regularly attends the Weston Park Cancer Support Centre for information and advice.

“When I was first diagnosed I was told about the Cancer Support Centre. I told them about my problems, and they listened and gave me some advice. It’s made a world of difference.”

1,463 cancer patients using the Trust’s cancer services took part in the survey, with an overall response rate of 66%.

Professor Hilary Chapman, Chief Nurse for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are committed to providing our patients with highly quality treatment and care during all aspects of their care. This positive feedback is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, and we are delighted that patients have rated our services and care above the national average in almost all of the key areas highlighted in the survey.

“With more and more people surviving cancer, it is pleasing to see that our patients find the support and advice that staff provide them and their families before, during and after treatment as highly useful.

"However, we are never complacent and an example of further improvements we have made includes an electronic discharge system that automatically sends GPs more timely information about the treatment and care cancer patients have received at our hospitals.”

The National Cancer Patient Experience survey is designed to monitor national progress on cancer care, to drive forward quality improvements, and to inform the work of groups supporting patients. Organisations are rated as being ‘lower’, ‘within’ or ‘higher’ than an expected range.

ENDS

Photo: Tony Robinson, who was treated for prostate cancer at Weston Park Hospital. 
 



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