Patients praise Sheffield Teaching Hospitals for cancer care experience
Patients have praised staff at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for the care they provide.
In the latest national cancer patient experience survey, the Trust scored highly in a number of key areas in the survey.
In particular quality of care was rated higher than the national average.
Ensuring patients and their families had information about support groups, were treated with dignity and respect, and involved in decisions about their care and treatment were also rated highly by patients.
- 90% of respondents said they had received information about support groups, compared to a national average of 85%
- 85% of respondents said groups of doctors did not talk in front of them as if this they were not there, compared to a national average of 82% and 97% said hospital staff told them who to contact if they worried about their condition or treatment post discharge, compared to a national average of 94%
- 89% of respondents said that, overall, they were always treated with dignity and respect while in hospital.
Anne Marie Russell, of Clifton Lane, Rotherham, agrees that the quality of care and support she has received while being treated for breast cancer has been first rate.
"From the word go the care I have received has been excellent," said Anne who went to her GP immediately after noticing a lump in her breast.
Anne, who is now studying fine art at Sheffield Hallam University received a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy following surgery in June last year.. The emotional and practical support she has been given from Weston Park Hospital's dedicated cancer support centre has been pivotal:
"The Cancer Support Centre has made all the difference in the world to me. I've had to fight cancer mentally as well as physically so being able to access supportive therapies, such as reflexology has been really reassuring and helpful."
Karen Jessop, Interim Chief Nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Our staff work so hard to ensure patients receive high quality, personalised care and so we are really pleased to see this reflected in these survey results. However, we are never complacent, and we will now be looking to see where we can make further improvements."
The national cancer patient experience survey is conducted by Quality Health on behalf of NHS England.