The third Wales Cancer Patient Experience Survey (WCPES) results have been published, which have shown that 92% of people with cancer in Wales treated during the pandemic have rated their overall care highly.
You can access the Wales national report, in English and Welsh, and further information, including the results and reports for your local Health Board(s), here: https://wcpes.co.uk
Funded by Macmillan Cancer Support and the Wales Cancer Network, and carried out by IQVIA, the survey asked people about many aspects of their cancer care from how they were diagnosed to the care they had when their treatment ended.
More than 6,000 people treated for cancer in Wales in 2020 took part in the survey, the results of which will be used to understand what’s working well and where improvements are needed.
- More than nine in 10 (92%) of people with cancer surveyed rated their cancer care during the first year of the pandemic as 7 or above out of 10 – with 45% rating their care as very good or 10 out of 10.
- Many people with cancer also praised being treated with dignity and respect when in hospital (90%), privacy during examinations and treatment (94%) and having trust and confidence in the healthcare professionals treating them (84%).
However, the survey also showed areas for improvement:
- More than a third of people (36%) said they were not offered information about how to access financial help or benefits, which every person treated for cancer in Wales should be offered due to the financial impact a cancer diagnosis can have.
- More than two thirds (70%) said they had not been offered a written care plan, which should be routinely offered to every person with cancer in Wales.
Cancer can affect every aspect of life, causing problems from debt to depression. It’s essential that people have access to the right information, financial advice and are offered a written care plan. Macmillan will use these results to campaign for even better personalised care for people with cancer across the country.
If you would like to discuss WCPES further, or any other part of Macmillan’s work, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.