Cancer patients poorly informed about medicines
People with cancer should ask about treatment options |
Half of all cancer patients say that health care professionals encourage them to ask questions about their treatment although four out of every 10 patients admit they are too poorly informed to know what questions to ask, according to a report published this week.
One in three of the 211 patients questioned in the survey believe that
patients who are better informed receive better care.
The report, “The cancer information maze” (PDF 180K), suggests
that, in future, health professionals should develop “information
prescriptions” for
patients which signpost them to the most appropriate sources of information.
Patients should also be encouraged by health professionals to ask questions
about their treatment.
The report, published jointly by the charity Cancer BACUP, the Association
of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the campaign group Ask About
Medicines, was welcomed by Steve Williamson, lead pharmacist for cancer
services at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust and a member of the cancer
network pharmacists forum.
He said: “There has been substantial investment in the majority
of cancer networks in England to ensure that patient information is on
the agenda. Networks have patient information managers and there are
patient information centres in the trusts so the results of this survey
surprise me.
“The patient information is there but maybe what is happening is
when patients are diagnosed they get the information but don’t
take it in. Anything like this report, which encourages patients to ask
questions
and seek out information, has to be welcomed.”
He added that pharmacists had a vital role to play in helping cancer
patients understand their medicines. He said: “With the advances
of oral chemotherapy, patients will have greater contact with pharmacists
and they should be answering their questions about medication.”
Joanne Shaw, chairman of Ask About Medicines, said: “It’s
vital that people with cancer are encouraged and empowered to ask questions
because patients who have a good knowledge of their treatment options
are better equipped to make informed decisions about medicines and their
treatment.”
Kate Tillet, chairman of the ABPI’s involved patient initiative
said she hoped the report would act as a “call to action” to
health care professionals to develop “information prescriptions
for their patients”. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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