The patient's perspective: A review of results from a radiotherapy patient experience survey (RPES) at the North West Cancer Centre, Northern Ireland, UK

Abstract

Introduction Patient satisfaction is an important measure of radiotherapy quality and reflects the ethos of the Health and Care Professions Council. The Radiotherapy Patient Experience Survey (RPES), developed in 2012, captures patients’ experiences across the radiotherapy pathway and was redistributed by National Health Service trusts in 2023. This study reports on patient experiences at the North West Cancer Centre (NWCC), one of two cancer centres in Northern Ireland (NI), using the RPES. While specific to NI, the findings can be considered alongside evidence from other UK regions to inform understanding of radiotherapy experiences across different healthcare contexts. Methods From September 2023 to March 2024, the RPES was distributed to patients at the end of radiotherapy. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke's six-phase framework) guided qualitative analysis. Ethical approval was granted by the affiliated university and Trust Quality Improvement team. Results In total, 245 participants completed the survey, with 56.7 % (n = 139) identifying as female. Overall, participants reported high satisfaction with their radiotherapy experiences, with 93.5 % (n = 229) rating the quality of care received as excellent. Key areas for improvement included provision of information about acute and chronic side effects before and after radiotherapy, as well as underutilisation and perceived outdatedness of website resources. Conclusion Despite national increasing wait times for radiotherapy, results from this single centre survey indicate high patient satisfaction with radiotherapy care in NWCC in NI. This study highlights excellence in care and provides guidance for enhancement of the service. Implications for practice Key actions have been identified to further improve the radiotherapy service in NWCC. The department should conduct a follow-up clinical audit to ensure improvements are implemented effectively