Cancer Patient Satisfaction Survey

Under the NSW Cancer Plan 2007 – 2010, the Cancer Institute NSW initiated a cancer patient satisfaction survey for routine use by cancer patients across NSW. The Cancer Institute NSW partnered with NSW Health to employ the survey as a strategy to better understand trends across the State related to cancer care and to identify opportunities to improve cancer care in NSW by addressing unmet needs.

The first survey was undertaken during 2007. Click here to access the 2007 State cancer patient results.

The survey has been repeated in 2008. The state-wide results can be accessed by clicking here.

Please refer to the information below in regard to the 2009 survey.

The survey asks patients questions across eight Dimensions of Care identified by the Picker Institute including:

1. Access to Care
2. Coordination of Care
3. Patients’ Preferences
4. Information and Education
5. Physical Comfort
6. Emotional Support
7. Family and Friends
8. Continuity and Transition.

For both cancer inpatients and cancer outpatients, 96 pre-coded experience and classification questions across the Dimensions of Care are included in the survey. The cancer inpatient survey focuses on the specific hospital experience recalled by the patient at that time, covering admission, hospital staff, treatment, discharge, amenities and overall impressions. It also includes one open-response question asking patients to nominate one thing about the hospital that they would change. In contrast, the cancer outpatient survey elicits feedback on the cancer care ‘journey’ over the six months prior to the conduct of the survey, including satisfaction with treatment planning, actual treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, symptoms management, health care professionals and amenities. The cancer outpatient survey also includes two open-ended questions, one asking patients to nominate one thing about their cancer care services that they would change, and another inviting them to record any other comments about their cancer journey.

2009 Patient Survey

Phase One: Survey of cancer inpatients and cancer outpatients from selected public hospitals.

Phase one involves cancer patients who received treatment as a cancer inpatient or outpatient at nominated public hospitals in NSW during February 2009. In May 2009, surveys were mailed to a randomly selected sample of cancer inpatients and cancer outpatients. The survey will close in early July 2009.

Phase Two: Survey of patients from selected private hospitals

Phase two involves cancer patients who received cancer care as an outpatient in participating private hospitals across NSW. Surveys will be mailed to a random sample of cancer outpatients during September/October 2009.

Survey Hotlines (Survey Questions and Notification of a Serious Event)

1800 220 936

Operating weekdays (Monday – Friday) during business hours.

The role of the Survey Hotline is to respond to enquiries from survey recipients including advice on how to access Interpreter Service. The Survey Hotline staff will answer and resolve queries and provide advice about notification about a serious event.

If you have received a Cancer Institute NSW patient survey and would like to make an enquiry about the survey process or wish to notify about the occurrence of a serious event please call the Survey Hotline.

General Information

General information on the Patient Survey can be found on the NSW Health internet site. Click here to view details.