Consistency of patient information ... is this happening?

Most patients attending a hospital appointment are likely to feel at least slightly apprehensive and, therefore, unable to retain all of the information given to them. A patient visiting a department in which they had been diagnosed with cancer that required radiotherapy is perhaps one of the worst case scenarios. Both cancer and radiotherapy are words that create some of the greatest fears for the general public and, even, for members of the health profession. Due to the misconceptions about cancer and radiotherapy, patients require accurate information to help allay some of their fears. At the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Freedom Fields Hospital, Plymouth, it was decided that an audit be used to determine the accuracy and consistency of information delivered within a specialized unit, before this information was disseminated to other departments within the hospital. The goals of the audit were to highlight possible weak areas of advice, to agree on the best information to furnish for a given situation, and to implement distribution of a staff handout to help achieve these aims. Staff members (n = 35) of various professions and levels were asked to complete a questionnaire relating to a patient with carcinoma of the breast undergoing a routine course of radiotherapy. Results of the audit indicated staff vagueness or conflicting responses in certain situations.