Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2024: Support and Information for People Receiving Cancer Care

Wider support

Support by charity, voluntary or community groups

29% of people felt that they were not supported practically, emotionally or psychologically by charity, voluntary or community groups during cancer treatment. Compared to all patients, this was higher among:

• people aged 75 years or older (36%)
• people with urological cancer (48%)

Information on care and wider support available

24% of people said they were not given timely information about charity, voluntary or community groups that could support them during cancer treatment. 39% said they were not given timely information about charity, voluntary or community groups that could support them after treatment. 

Compared with all patients (24%), the percentage of people who were not given such information before treatment were larger among:

• people with skin (44%), urological (37%) and colorectal / lower gastrointestinal cancer (32%)
• people aged 75 years or older (33%)

Compared with all patients (39%) the percentage of people who were not given such information once treatment ended were larger among people with skin cancer (58%).

Information on care needed when returning home

18% of people said the healthcare professionals did not give their family, or someone close, all the information needed to help care for them at home last time they left the hospital after cancer treatment.

Compared to all patients, larger percentages of people with gynaecological and breast cancer said healthcare professionals did not give their family, or someone close, all the information needed to help care for them at home.

Figure 10. People who said they were not given enough information about care needed at home, by cancer group. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals.

Information on financial help

The survey asked whether people received information from healthcare professionals about how to get financial help or benefits that they might be entitled to. 41% of people responded “No, but I would have liked this”. Compared with all patients, this percentage is higher for people with prostate cancer (56%).