Medical updates

Summary of Results
Macmillan Cancer Relief Open Space Survey

In November 1999 Macmillan Cancer Relief launched its open space survey, asking people with cancer to tell us about their experiences. In their responses to the survey, people wrote very vividly about their experiences: some had excellent care, but others had not. People made many different points, but a common theme emerged - that they wanted to be treated "as a person, not a number". The survey also showed that early diagnosis and prompt test results and treatment were very important.

The main issues people wrote about in the survey were as follows:

• Support and the opportunity to talk: More people (44%) mentioned this than any other topic. The provision of support was more important to women and younger people, and the timing of support was important, so that people had the support they needed at all stages of their treatment.
• Waiting times: More than one in five (22%) of the people who responded made some comment about the time they had had to wait for their diagnosis, or for test results of treatment. Nearly 90% of those who made a negative comment about any aspect of their experience of cancer mentioned the problem of waiting times.
• Information: One in five people (21%) mentioned information, of whom one in six said they had not had the information the needed. People said they wanted information not just at the time of diagnosis, but throughout their illness. They also said they wanted information at the right time, and to suit their own needs.
• Staffing and facilities: One in six people (17%) commented about staffing and facilities, and more of the comments were positive rather than negative. Most of the negative comments were about the need for better facilities for treatment and some called for more money to be spent on hospitals and staff.
• Understanding/sensitivity/compassion: One in seven people (14%) mentioned the importance of being treated with understanding, sensitivity and compassion - with more people saying that they had not been treated like this. Another 10% stressed the importance of a positive attitude, and some said they wanted more positive news about people living with cancer in the media.
• Practical help: A number of people (6%) stressed the importance of help with practical matters - especially financial help, help with claiming benefits, travelling for treatment and domestic arrangements.
• Other themes: Just under one in ten said that they believed there should be equal access to treatment, and 4% said there was a need to raise awareness of cancer, and a similar number called for more money for cancer research.
• Macmillan Cancer Relief: Many people made positive comments about the charity - in particular about the nurses and the support they provide people with cancer and their families.

These results are going to help the charity to plan their own services for the future and they have reported the results to Government ministers, opposition spokesmen and other key people and will be seeking to ensure that the needs of patients are taken into account in planning cancer services for the future. The results show that the services Macmillan provides address the most important needs of cancer patients according to the survey; but they want to enable even more people to have access of their help.

If you would like to receive copies of Macmillan's services and a copy of their cancer guide please contact their information line on 0845 601 6161 (open Monday - Friday: 9:30am - 7:30pm)