Receiving a stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis at the age of 33 is the most challenging and traumatic experience I will ever go through. Moving towards a Wales with zero deaths from bowel cancer will bring hope to many affected by cancer. Fewer lives will be lost if this powerful and comprehensive piece of work is acted on.
Rachel Reed ― Bowel Cancer Survivor & Patient Advocate
Understanding the experiences, needs, and priorities of patients and carers who have been through bowel cancer care in Wales is essential if we want to improve outcomes in a way which is meaningful for future patients.
To create our Case for Change, we worked with Bowel Cancer UK, and the CEDAR NHS research group, to carry out a series of surveys, interviews, and focus groups with patients. Through February to August 2022, we gathered over 70 survey responses, and dozens of patients discussed their experiences and priorities at in-depth interviews and focus groups with our partners at CEDAR. Patients were also side by side with health care professionals during the workshops that took place between November and December 2022.
It is these experiences combined with professional input, backed by our evidence review, that have have informed and shaped the clear set of actions that now form our Case for Change.
You can download an executive summary of the main themes we uncovered during our patient consultation, authored by our partners at CEDAR below (available in English and Welsh). CEDAR's full report will be available later in 2023.