15/11/2005

Cancer patients 'confused' about care

More than half of cancer patients do not fully understand what their condition means, new research has suggested.

The report, conducted by the charity Cancer BACUP, campaign group Ask About Medicines and the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industries, found that nearly four in ten people did not feel as if they knew what questions to ask regarding their treatment, while only half felt that they could ask their doctor questions.

The report suggested that patients were being lost in a “maze of information” and called on health workers to provide information that was easier to understand, as well as encourage patients to ask questions about their care.

Joanne Rule, Chief Executive of CancerBACUP, said: “Cancer patients today are faced with increased treatment options, including innovative medicines.

“But if they lack information, they are unable to be as involved as they should be in all aspects of their care.”

The report will be presented to the Department of Health.

(KMcA/SP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

08 August 2011
Cancer Survivors 'Should Exercise', Charity Claims
More than a million cancer survivors could be putting themselves at risk of long-term health problems because they are not physically active enough, a report by Macmillan Cancer Support has claimed. The charity's report, Move More, said that of the two million cancer survivors in the UK, around 1.
22 September 2008
Scottish Government Pledges Cap On Surgery Waiting Times
Scottish patients may soon have a legal guarantee that they will wait no longer than 12 weeks for surgery. The Scottish Government's Patient Rights Bill proposes a strict limit on how long they have to wait from their surgical referral to receiving their operation.
25 February 2005
Cancer care needs more improvement
Cancer services in England "broadly improved" in 2004, the National Audit Office (NAO) has found, although improvements are still needed in some areas. The NAO conducted a survey of over 4,000 patients with breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancer in England last year.
09 February 2005
Report questions care of patients with lung problems
More than one in ten patients admitted to hospital suffering from a severe respiratory condition die within 90 days of admission, a new study has found.
04 April 2013
Uncertainty Over Cancer Care Fund
Cancer charities have warned that thousands of cancer patients face uncertainty over future access to life-extending drugs when a cash pot ends next year. The £200m-a-year Cancer Drugs Fund allows patients in England to access drugs approved by their doctors, but which have not been cleared for widespread use on the NHS.