National Radiotherapy Patient Experience Survey 2026

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  UK Radiotherapy Patient Experience Survey 2026

• IRAS ID

  374105

• Contact name

  Danny Hutton

• Contact email

  daniel.hutton1@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Birmingham City University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 0 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Radiotherapy is the use of high energy radiation to treat cancer. The radiotherapy service specification requires radiotherapy service providers to complete patient experience questionnaires, with specification 4.2.202 stating 'The [radiotherapy] service has undertaken an exercise to gain feedback from patients'. As well as this specification requirement, there is a need for the patient voices in form the planning, delivery and development of services. The aim of this research is to take a snapshot view of the patient experience across UK services, to inform areas for improvement. Comparison to national data sets at a Radiotherapy Operational Delivery Network (ODN) level is intended to work to reduce variation in patient experience across the national service, and to improve patient experience as described in the Radiotherapy Service Specification. This survey is the same as used for the 2023 national radiotherapy survey, adapted from the previous national survey carried out by the National Cancer Action Team in 2012. The questionnaire has been designed and agreed by a multi-disciplinary steering group including lay representatives. Distribution has been agreed by the radiotherapy service managers; no patient data will be handled by the research team. Each radiotherapy department will create a local project team with departmental 'survey champion' to oversee the coordination and distribution of the project information. Posters with QR codes will be placed within all UK NHS radiotherapy departments and patients will be alerted through existing local departmental processes with text messages informing them of the survey. The survey will be accessed electronically, with usual PIL and consent details imbedded within this, such that the patient submission to the survey will only contain details of the radiotherapy service they have attended for treatment; this to enable collation at a regional level to be analysed at regional level.

• REC name

  London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  26/PR/0909

• Date of REC Opinion

  15 Jul 2026

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion