Willingness To Travel For Hospital Treatment
Cancer Patients Willing To Travel Further Than Their Local Hospital For Better Care
Research conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Cancerbackup found that, if diagnosed with cancer requiring hospital treatment as an inpatient, 72% of people would be willing to travel to be treated at a hospital further from home than their local hospital in one or more of several scenarios presented. A further 13% say it would depend on the circumstances. However, no more than four in ten say they would be willing to travel further in any particular circumstance.
Eight per cent would not be willing to be treated at a hospital further from home than their local hospital in any circumstance.
The tipping point for most people, if they were to travel further from home than their local hospital, is if a hospital further from home had shorter waiting times than their local hospital.
Cancer Values Research: Part Two pdf, 810KB
Topline Results
- Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,028 adults aged 15+ across Great Britain
- Fieldwork was conducted between 13-19 April 2007
- Interviews were carried out face-to-face, in home, using CAPI, as part of the Ipsos Capibus
- The sample design ensures that Capibus accurately reflects the GB population in terms of region and area types as well as informant demographics. In order to correct minor deviations, Capibus uses a rim weighting system which weights to NRS defined profiles for age, social grade, region and working status -- within gender. Results are based on weighted data
- Results are based on all respondents (2,028)
- An asterisk (*) denotes a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
- Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of don't knows/not stated
I'd like to now ask you some questions about accessing treatment for cancer. Some of these you may find a little sensitive.
Q1 Now thinking about if you had been diagnosed with cancer requiring hospital treatment as an inpatient, and you had the option of being treated at your local hospital or at a hospital further from home. Using this card, in which, if any of the following circumstances would you be willing to be treated at a hospital further from home than your local one?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| If you needed to have an operation as part of your treatment and a hospital further from home offered surgery that meant you would be in hospital for 4 days, rather than the 10 in your local hospital | 35 |
| If a hospital further from home had a lower risk of death during the month following a major operation for cancer than your local hospital | 33 |
| If a hospital further from home had a lower risk of complications after surgery than your local hospital | 34 |
| If a hospital further from home had better standards of patient care than your local hospital | 38 |
| If a hospital further from home provided better information for patients and carers than your local hospital | 23 |
| If a hospital further from home had shorter waiting times than your local hospital | 40 |
| If a hospital further from home had a better five year survival rate after cancer treatment than your local hospital | 37 |
| If a hospital further from home provided treatment with fewer side effects than the treatment provided by your local hospital. The treatment involves a daily trip to hospital for up to six weeks | 27 |
| Total of one or more of the above circumstances | 72 |
| I would not be willing to be treated at a hospital further from home than my local hospital in any circumstances | 8 |
| It would depend on the circumstances | 13 |
| Don't know / No opinion | 6 |
Q2 And how far from your home, if at all, do you think you would be prepared to travel for your hospital in-patient treatment under each of the following circumstances?
- If you needed to have an operation as part of your treatment and a hospital further from home offered surgery that meant you would be in hospital for 4 days, rather than 10 days in your local hospital
- If a hospital further from home had a lower risk of death during the month following a major operation for cancer than your local hospital
- If a hospital further from home had a lower risk of complications after surgery than your local hospital
- If a hospital further from home had better standards of patient care than your local hospital
- If a hospital further from home provided better information for patients and carers than your local hospital
- If a hospital further from home had a better five year survival rate after cancer treatment than your local hospital
| 160 | Q2a | Q2b | Q2c | Q2d | Q2e | Q2f |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | % | % | % | % | % | % |
| To a hospital accessible within 20 minutes from my home | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 9 |
| To a hospital accessible within 21 to 40 minutes from my home | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| To a hospital accessible within 41 minutes to an hour from my home | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| To a hospital over an hour away but less than an hour and a half away from my home | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| To a hospital over an hour and a half away but less than two hours away from my home | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| To a hospital over two hours away from my home | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Any distance necessary to get the best treatment | 36 | 41 | 38 | 35 | 30 | 40 |
| I would NOT be prepared to travel further than my local hospital | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 5 |
| It would depend | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
| None of these | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Don't know | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
