Healthwatch: living with cancer

Local health champion seeks experiences of living with cancer.

Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin NHS are working to improve cancer care services for the local population through the implementation of their Integrated Cancer Strategy 2022 - 2027.

To help with this aim and to ensure that the patient voice is at the centre of developments Healthwatch Shropshire would like to hear about patient experience of living with cancer in Shropshire. They would like to hear from all patients who have received treatment and support during the last two years.

Lynn Cawley, Chief Officer of Healthwatch Shropshire, said, “We would like to hear about all aspects of the treatment and support for cancer patients and their families, from hospital treatment, to GP help and community based support from self-help groups and organisations such as Macmillian Cancer support.”

“We would like to hear about what has worked well for people so this can be highlighted as well as about things that have not gone so well. Any suggestions for change or improvement would be really helpful and then we can feed this back to the NHS and other organisations involved . To share experiences people can contact us online https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HWS_living_well_with_cancer/ or ring our office and talk to one of the staff, 01743 237884.”

Healthwatch Shropshire is the independent health and social care champion in Shropshire. It gathers the views and experiences of patients, service users, carers, and the general public about services including hospitals, GPs, mental health services, community health services, pharmacists, opticians, residential care and children’s services. It also has statutory powers that it can use to influence service provision by encouraging improvements.

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Notes for Editors:

Healthwatch Shropshire is one of a network of 148 Local Healthwatch in England. It is supported by a national organisation, Healthwatch England.

It has a team working in community engagement, plus a volunteer programme, a visit programme to health and social care premises and an associate membership scheme to involve the public in its work. It also has a signposting service to help people access health and social care services and support.

Healthwatch Shropshire also provides the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS) for Shropshire. The IHCAS service provides information, advice and, if necessary, can support people through the NHS complaints process.