27 October 2011
NHSG/119/11
Issued on behalf of Breakthrough Breast Cancer
A leading cancer research charity is urging patients to have their say in the way NHS cancer services are run.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer has sent out hundreds of questionnaires to households across the north east, Orkney and Shetland. The aim is to improve local services based on the feedback from patients.
The organisation is working closely with the NHS Grampian cancer service, and the questionnaire will be an important source of information from the patient perspective.
Hazel Allan is project manager for the charity. She said: "Breakthrough Breast Cancer would like to stress the importance of as many patients as possible taking part in the survey, both to evaluate the good aspects of the service, and to allow NHS Grampian to have truly patient led improvements to their service. Breakthrough is working with NHS Boards throughout Scotland and is eager to gain as much feedback from patients as we can."
Some patients in Moray, Shetland and Orkney have received forms with return by dates which have passed, because of a clerical error. The charity is however urging all respondents to complete the forms and is reassuring them that their feedback has a vital role to play in helping to redesign services.