UPDATE - Issue 21 - Spring 2005
Thumbs down from Audit Office
The Audit Office February report Tackling Cancer: Improving the Patient Journey updates a larger 1999 - 2000 survey. To compile it, they sent questionnaires to 7,800 patients with breast, bowel, lung and prostate cancer in 49 NHS trusts. Of the 4,300 who responded, nearly 700 were prostate cancer patients.
Overall, the Audit Office found that services had broadly improved. or example, 58% of all respondents were seen within two weeks of referral by their GP compared with 46% in the earlier survey. Patients referred as urgent by their GP were almost universally seen by a specialist within two weeks.
It was clear from the report, that more action is needed in some areas, particularly prostate cancer.
The detailed questionnaire results illustrate the relatively poor service experienced by prostate cancer patients. They show that you wait longer at the start and you have more appointments cancelled. You would have liked more information and are less likely to have understood what you have been told and, for you, there is a greater likelihood of there being no discussion about your diagnosis, prognosis or treatment. You are less likely to have had a named nurse in charge of your care. On discharge from hospital, you are less likely to have had your home situation taken into account and are less likely to have been told of support or self help groups. In summary, for prostate cancer patients all aspects of diagnosis and treatment are sub standard when compared to the experiences of other cancer sufferers.
It is little surprise, therefore, that the highest response rate to the survey came from the prostate cancer patients.
Sir John Bourn, Head of the National Audit Office, noted: 'There is no room for complacency - even if only 10 per cent of patients with major cancers were dissatisfied with some aspect of their care, that amounts to over 10,000 people a year. We look to the NHS to continue its drive for improvement in patient care, particularly with respect to patients with prostate cancer'.
We whole-heartedly endorse this call for positive action.