Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the trust-level reports of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey are more readily accessible to patients and the public.

The 2014 Cancer Patient Experience Survey reported that 93% of cancer patients surveyed who were being treated with radiotherapy and or chemotherapy received emotional support.

The survey also reported that the majority of cancer patients who took part in the survey said they received advice on practical matters such as availability of support groups (83%) and free prescriptions (78%). Just over half of patients surveyed reported receiving advice on financial help and benefits. NHS England recognises there may be opportunities for improvement in this area.

Living With and Beyond Cancer, a new joint initiative between NHS England and Macmillan Cancer Care, is currently in development. Areas the initiative is planning to focus on include ensuring all cancer patients have access to holistic needs assessment, treatment summary, cancer care review and a patient education and support event – the ‘Recovery Package’.

Cancer Patient Survey Trust level reports are published online at:

http://www.quality-health.co.uk/surveys/national-cancer-patient-experience-survey