NHS cancer patients are generally positive about their care experiences although there is scope for improvements, according to a new survey for the organisation.
The coalition government has announced that it intends to use results from the survey to create a roadmap for how the NHS can meet cancer patients' needs in the future.
It also revealed that charity Macmillan Cancer Support will invest £300m to aid the NHS in creating up to 2,700 support roles in hospitals and the community over the next decade.
The study found that at least 80% of patients reported positively for 33 of the 59 items which were assessed.
However, as noted by research leader Professor Sir Mike Richards, national cancer director of the National Cancer Action Team, on 12 of the 59 items less than 70% of patients reported positively, showing the scope available for improvement.
Prof Richards also revealed that variations in experience of care by the NHS can be marked.
"Although for most items the ‘middle 60%' of trusts are not widely separated, the differences between the best and the worst Trusts can be very wide, exceeding 40% in some instances," he explained.
"For instance in one trust only 13% of patients reported being given written information about their operation, while in another the figure was 91%."
The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, one of the largest surveys of cancer patient experience, heard from 67,713 patients with a range of cancers.
Positive results included:
• 90% of patients had waited less than four weeks between referral and first hospital visit;
• 85% reported that staff had done everything they could to control pain;
• 84% had confidence and trust in all of their doctors;
• 82% said they were always treated with dignity and respect.
Negative feedback illustrated that:
• only 50% of patients who said it was necessary had received information about financial help;
• only 61% reported that clinicians working in hospitals and the community worked well together;
• only 62% reported that there were enough nurses on duty when they were admitted to hospital;
• only 66% reported receiving written information about their cancer.
Prof Richards added: "Based on these findings, I would strongly urge clinicians, managers and commissioners to look carefully at their local reports to assess areas where change is urgently needed. At a national level we will wish to learn more about those services that are performing very highly."
Paul Burstow MP, the Care Services Minister, highlighted that 84% of those who had received one to one support had significantly higher rates of satisfaction across all aspects of their care but only 58% said doctors or nurses gave their family or someone close to them all the information they needed to help care for them at home.
The Department of Health (DoH) also unveiled its independent economic study, One to one support for cancer patients, which examined seven cancers and found that offering one-to-one support for cancer patients could save the NHS around £89m by improving care and reducing unnecessary hospital stays and GP visits.
The DoH said this analysis provides evidence for the potential benefits that investment in one to one support posts can achieve.
It added that the results should provide a solid evidence base for decision making on how to develop local cancer services to improve outcomes.
The government will publish its updated cancer strategy in the new year and launch an early signs and symptoms awareness campaign in January, while also pledging to provide more money for screening and investing in cutting edge therapies.
