Quality of life means different things to different people, but it matters to everyone.
More people are surviving cancer than ever before - but living with cancer, and the effects of its treatment, can have a negative impact on people’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing. The NHS understands how important quality of life is and the difference it makes to patients.
In West Yorkshire and Harrogate, around three quarters of cancer patients rate their quality of life quite highly.
However, eighteen months on from a cancer diagnosis, people living with and beyond cancer are significantly more likely to report a problem across all five aspects of health (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain and discomfort, and anxiety and depression) than the general population.
The Cancer Quality of Life Survey helps us understand what matters most to patients. The information collected from the survey will help us to work out how best to support people living with and beyond cancer and will help to influence health policy, professional practice and patient empowerment nationally.
Launched in September 2020 the survey has now been rolled out to most cancer patients. Patients receive the survey around 18 months after their diagnosis. By filling out the survey, patients can help us understand more about the quality of life people living with and beyond cancer have.
The information collected from the survey will help us to work out how best to support people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Patients completing the survey can access their individual summary report that shows their quality of life scores with a comparison to the general population. The summaries can enable patients to have conversations with a health care professional or other relevant services about quality of life and access any further support required.
More information about the survey can be found on the survey website
A free helpline is available to help patients complete the survey and respond to any queries or difficulties - 0800 783 1775.
