Scottish Radiotherapy Patient Experience Survey 2014: National Results: Volume 1

11 RESULTS - COMPARISON OF RESULTS WITH THE ENGLISH RADIOTHERAPY SURVEY 2012

11.1 The vast majority of the questions used in the survey had previously been used in a Radiotherapy Patient Survey in England in 2012. This section provides a high level summary of these comparisons in the areas where they are observed. A full set of comparisons is presented in tables in Appendix A to this report. Comparisons have only been made where questions were the same or very similarly worded in both questionnaires.

11.2 Any comparisons should be viewed in a broad context rather than around specific questions as there are differences in the way the surveys were administered (posted in England while in Scotland postal return after handing out at the end of radiotherapy treatment). In addition there are important differences between the organisation and monitoring of radiotherapy care in Scotland and England. That said, the requirement for the provision of safe, effective and person centred care and indicators of quality of care are the same.

Overall summary

11.3 Comparisons of the Scottish survey with the English results have found more similarities than differences between patients' experiences of radiotherapy care. Both report that patients are in the main positive about their radiotherapy care and treatment.

11.4 Where Scottish patients are more positive than English patients is around the environment of the radiotherapy department, and the overall experience of radiotherapy care: 97% of patients in Scotland compared to 83% in England rated their overall care as excellent or very good.

11.5 A number of areas where Scottish patients are less positive than English patients is around written information: 14% of patients in Scotland said that they didn't get any written information before their treatment (compared to only 6% in England); and only 56% of patients in Scotland said that they were given written information about what to expect in the few weeks following treatment and their post treatment care (compared to 77% in England).

Consent

11.6 Scores on consent are broadly similar to the same questions asked in the English Radiotherapy Survey.

11.7 85% of patients said that they were completely satisfied with the answers they received to questions that they asked (compared to 82% in England); and 93% of patients said that they had complete confidence in the doctor or other health professional who took their consent (compared to 91% in England). Exactly the same percentage of patients (96%) of patients in both countries said that they were definitely treated with dignity and respect.

Information before radiotherapy treatment

11.8 Compared to the same questions in the English Radiotherapy Survey, scores on questions about information before radiotherapy treatment are better in some cases and worse in others.

11.9 Patients in England tended to be slightly more positive (78%) than those in Scotland (73%) who said that they were told about the local cancer and information support service at the hospital. Slightly more patients in Scotland (90%) than in England (89%) said that the information/arrangements for their first radiotherapy visit was easy to understand. And slightly more patients in Scotland (55%) than in England (54%) said that the information given to them before they started treatment was excellent, and helped with their treatment.

11.10 But more patients in Scotland (14%) than in England (6%) said that they didn't get any written information before their treatment.

Website information

11.11 Far fewer patients in Scotland (16%) than in England (21%) looked for information about radiotherapy on hospital websites. But of those who did, more found it very helpful in Scotland (69%) than in England (56%).

About your radiotherapy

11.12 All of the scores in this section were very similar to those in the English Radiotherapy Survey. Interestingly, there were fewer radiotherapy inpatients (only 3%) in the English Radiotherapy Survey than in Scotland (11%).

Daily treatment visits

11.13 Compared to the same questions in the English Radiotherapy Survey, scores on questions about daily treatment visits are better in some cases and worse in others.

11.14 More patients in Scotland (71%, 85%, 87%) than in England (54%, 69%, 67%) said that the environment of the radiotherapy department (the waiting room, the treatment room, and the department as a whole) was "very good". And more patients in Scotland (85%) than in England (67%) said that their treatment started on time or within 20 minutes of their appointment.

11.15 But of those patients who needed to park, more in Scotland (44%) than in England (32%) said that it was not easy to park. And fewer patients in Scotland (77%) than in England (83%) said that the changing facilities allowed them to maintain their dignity.

11.16 Interestingly, more patients in Scotland (25%) than in England (20%) said that they had only 1-5 fractions during their last course of radiotherapy.

Following treatment

11.17 On two of the questions in this section, patients in Scotland were less positive than patients in England.

11.18 Fewer patients in Scotland (85%) than in England (92%) said that they knew the arrangements for their next visit. And fewer patients in Scotland (56%) than in England (77%) said that they were given written information about what to expect in the few weeks following treatment and their post treatment care.