Listening, learning and supporting change: personalised cancer care in Tees Valley
Download (PDF 1.81 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees undertook engagement with 71 people who accessed services in the Tees Valley.
Key themes from the engagement
- Variation in staffing levels across sites within the same NHS Trust, leading to concerns about equity of access.
- Loss of fast-track counselling services in some areas, resulting in long waits for mental health support.
- Uncertainty around fixed-term staffing contracts, potentially affecting staff retention and service continuity.
- Lack of access to hardship funds in some areas, increasing the burden on staff to find alternative support for patients.
- Rising demand for fast-track cancer support, highlighting the need for additional staffing and resources.
- Inconsistent access to support services based on location, including differences in availability of charity and community-based support.
- Restrictions on cross-boundary access to community-based support services, limiting patient choice and continuity.