The Patients’ View

This audit is worth carrying out because it is a very simple way of providing reassurance on the local organisation and service. It will obtain the patients’ views on the way that they have been received and treated. This audit may disclose an unrecognised but developing problem.

Organising this audit and delivering the report on the findings is the responsibility of the lead oncology nurse or senior services manager within the department of clinical oncology.

The standard: 

Patients should be satisfied with the service provided to them when attending the department of clinical oncology.

Target: 

90%.

Indicators: 

Percentage of patients satisfied with the service provided from the results of the Core Audit 1 questionnaire (See Resources).

Data items to be collected: 

All patients attending a particular section of the department (e.g. an outpatient clinic or for radiotherapy planning) on two consecutive days.

Suggested number: 

All patients attending the chosen section of the department.

Address the specific problems identified by the questionnaire:

• Construct a more focused and detailed questionnaire in order to identify the precise nature of an underlying problem

• Repeat date for commencing the next audit (following change): 6 months

• Identify staff member responsible for introducing change. Indicate date for reporting on the repeat audit

1. Personnel: Lead oncology nurse, cancer services manager or deputy

2. Time - Allow: 4 hours for collection of the questionnaires, analysis and drafting of the report

3. Address the specific problems identified by the questionnaire

1. Cancer Services Collaborative. Chemotherapy Project Guidance, Appendix 1: Patient carer toolkit. Leicester: CSC, 2002.

2. Cancer Services Collaborative. Radiotherapy Toolkit, Appendix 3: Improving the patient and carer experience toolkit. Leicester: CSC, 2002.

3. Cancer Services Collaborative. Patient and carer experience: A service improvement guide. Leicester: CSC, 2002.

4. Clinical Oncology Patients’ Liaison Group. Making your radiotherapy service more patient-friendly. BFCO(99)4. London: Royal College of Radiologists, 1999.

5. Department of Health. A First Class Service: Quality in the New NHS. Chapter 4: Monitoring Quality Standards: National Survey of Patient and User Experience. London: DoH, 1998.

6. Department of Health. The NHS Plan: A Plan for Investment, A Plan for Reform. Annex 1: The Public’s Concerns About the NHS Today. Norwich: Stationery Office, 2000. (Now archived.)

7. Department of Health. The national survey of NHS patients: cancer survey. London: DoH, 2002. (Now archived.)

8. Kravitz R L, Melnikow J. Engaging patients in medical decision making. Brit Med J 2001; 323; 584–585.

9. Liang W et al. Communication between physicians and older women with localised breast cancer: implications for treatment and patient satisfaction. J Clin Oncol 2002; 20: 1008–1016.

10. Rogers G, Smith D. Reporting comparative results from hospital patient surveys. Int J Qual Health Care 1999; 11: 251–259.

11. Sommerton N. Can PCTs integrate R (research) with D (development) in cancer? Cancer Services Insight, Autumn 2001. www.totalhealthcaremedia.com 

Taken from Clinical Governance and Revalidation 2003 RCR, updated by COASC 2009