MUSGROVE Park is the fourth best hospital in the country for patient experience of cancer care, the managing trust has revealed.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (TST) highlighted the survey results after recent annual figures showed that more than 25% of cancer care patients had not received treatment within the target waiting time.

The target, of starting a patient’s cancer treatment within 62 days of urgent GP referral, was met for just 74.7% of people at Musgrove over the last 12 months. That is 5% worse than in 2016.

On average, hospitals across the UK provided treatment in time for 82% of people, compared to the target of 85%.

Dr Stuart Walker, medical director at Musgrove Park Hospital, said: “The quality and safety of the care that we provide to our patients is central to everything we do.

“We are seeing more patients than ever before so, like many other larger NHS hospitals, we are experiencing challenges in meeting some waiting times targets.

“We were rated the fourth best hospital in the country in the most recent national survey of patient experience of cancer care.”

The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2016 Results were published in the summer, and saw Musgrove patients rate the hospital’s cancer care as 9/10 on average.

The survey also found that 86% of survey participants felt that the length of time for attending clinics and appointments was right.

Dr walker added: “We are working hard to improve the speed of access for patients to cancer care, as well as to reduce waiting times for more routine planned operations.”

In total, around 9,000 patients at key services in the trust have been forced to wait longer than the target waiting times.

Nearly 92% of patients at TST's accident and emergency department were seen within four hours of attending Musgrove Park Hospital.

However, 5,304 patients in the last 12 months had to wait more than the target four hours before they were discharged.

This is an improvement of 1.4% on 2016's figures, and above the national average (90.1%), but below the target amount of 95% of patients.

The waiting times for planned operations care is also well below the target.

A total of 83.6% of patients were seen within 18 weeks - the target is 92% - a drop of 1% on last year.

Meanwhile, 3,453 members of the public had to wait more than the 18-week target.

Dr Walker said: “We are pleased that Musgrove Park continues to perform well nationally in terms of the length of time patients have to wait in our emergency department (A&E).

“This is widely seen as a key marker of success for the NHS as we go into winter.

“As we head towards winter and the busiest time for the NHS, we’d ask people – unless it’s an emergency - to think of trying their local pharmacy or phoning NHS 111 in the first instance.

“We are also reminding people who are eligible for a free flu vaccination to get one as soon as possible to protect themselves against the debilitating effects of flu.”