People who have experienced cancer are being invited to take part in a questionnaire on the Island’s cancer services – to help build improved, patient-centred services for the future.
Current cancer services are being analysed in detail as part of the Health and Care Transformation Programme’s work to design future care pathways in a number of key areas.
The online survey invites views on the various stages of care, from initial diagnosis through treatment to discharge and follow-up care, and is open to all who have used services, including families and friends of patients.
A wide scope of questions asks what happened at each stage and how the person felt treated as an individual. The qualitative aspect of the survey aims to find out whether, for instance, patients understood the information they received at the diagnosis stage, whether their views were taken into account when treatment options were explored, and later, whether they were directed to support organisations that can help them.
The questionnaire is supporting the pathfinder stage of the Transformation Programme in which seven key areas of health and care are being reviewed in detail, so that evidence-based and person-centred models of care are developed, to meet the Island’s future needs.
A service-by-service review was among the 26 recommendations of Sir Jonathan Michael’s landmark report on the Island’s health and social care services. Each service review involves assessment of best practice, consideration of options for service improvement and design of a revised pathway.
Manx Care, the new body responsible for the delivery of health and care services, which is due to come into operation in April 2021, will be responsible for implementing the new-look services.
Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said:
‘I encourage everyone who has had experience of cancer services, either first-hand or through supporting a loved one, to take part in the survey. Through our ‘deep dives’ we aim to understand where consensus exists about current services, whether good or bad, and which areas people feel need to be addressed most urgently.'
He added:
‘All views are welcomed in the survey stage of the review process. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create transformed and sustainable health and care services, and the input of the public who use them is absolutely vital.’
The closing date for responses to the Cancer Service Users Questionnaire is Friday 13 November.
