Picker, an international healthcare charity, has been awarded a multiyear contract to carry out the NHS England & Improvement National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES).
The new survey, part of the national NHS Cancer Programme, covers all NHS trusts in England that provide adult cancer services and focuses on patient experience, clinical effectiveness, and safety.
The NCPES, which can be completed either via post or electronically online, will be undertaken through the autumn and winter months, with the official statistics being published in spring or early summer.
In support of the survey, Picker will also hold workshops to promote a ‘better understanding’ of data by sharing findings and encouraging ‘good’ practice, as well as producing a National report, ICS level reports, trust reports and Cancer Alliance reports over the next three years, the charity says.
Chris Graham, CEO, Picker, said of the new survey: “We’re pleased to continue our valuable work delivering the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey for the next three years. It is an important survey and the findings will help ensure NHS Trusts across England have the insights they need to help them further improve cancer patients’ experiences of the health and person-centred care they receive.
“In the next three years, we also want to improve the representation from those who are less likely to submit a questionnaire response. By increasing participation from underrepresented groups, we’ll be able to develop a greater understanding of differences between various groups. We will also break down information into specifically defined subgroups for national and local reporting purposes.”
Clare Enston, Deputy Director of Insight & Feedback, NHS England and NHS Improvement, commented: “The National Cancer Patient Experience survey is a vital part of understanding how people are experiencing cancer care and treatment. It helps the NHS to identify what’s working well and where things can be improved, and increasingly gives us the chance to understand this in patients’ own words.”