POOLE Hospital’s cancer services have once again been rated highly by patients, the latest national survey reveals.

The trust scored at or above the national average in most of the 70 questions local patients in the national cancer patient experience survey, commissioned by NHS England.

Out of more than 500 respondents treated at Poole Hospital who completed the questionnaire, 93 per cent rated their care as excellent or very good – five per cent more than the national average.

Patients also put the trust in the top fifth nationally for how sensitively patients were told they had cancer; explanation of what was wrong; ease with which a named nurse specialist could be contacted; providing understandable information and answering questions in a straightforward way; confidence in doctors and nurses; promoting dignity and respect; pain control; and what to do after being discharged from hospital.

Andrea Moxham, matron for cancer services, said the survey was an important way of measuring how the trust is performing.

“Hearing you have cancer is one of the most difficult things you can be told,” she said.

“That’s why we have to get our care at this time absolutely right.”