Patients back Stafford Hospital cancer care unit after report
Patients have backed staff at Stafford Hospital despite a report by health watchdogs criticising breast cancer services, it has emerged.
Their views are contained in a survey launched after issues such as communication problems and hostility between some clinicians and managers were highlighted.
The majority of patients interviewed said their experience of the unit was positive, with only around a fifth complaining about their treatment.
The results are revealed in a review by health and social services watchdog, Staffordshire LINk.
Short waiting times were praised, as was the ongoing support offered by the breast cancer team, with services such as a telephone helpline.
Patients who rated the overall experience as negative highlighted concerns such as uncaring staff attitudes and having to see different consultants at each appointment.
More than three-quarters of the respondents – some 77 per cent – said their overall experience of care at the unit was positive.
Just 19 per cent rated their visits as negative.
The September report, by the National Cancer Peer Review team, called the system at Stafford "deeply dysfunctional" and said there was evidence of "open hostility".
Sue Baknak, manager at Staffordshire LINk, said: "The September study was very critical of the team but the results of our consultation suggest that internal management issues haven't had a massive impact on actual care.
"The time taken from diagnosis to surgery was praised, as was the availability of staff over the phone."
