Patient Experience Week 2026

Monday 27 April to Friday 01 May 2026 is Patient Experience Week: a time to recognise the incredible work that happens every day to improve the care our communities receive 👏

It’s also a chance to highlight just how vital patient engagement is in shaping and improving cancer services.

👤 Jackie, EMCA’s Patient Engagement Lead, says:

“Leading the Patient Experience workstream is an honour. It means the world to be able to represent our wonderful patients and supporting them to get their stories heard. Dedicating our time to validating our patients by listening and making improvements that will really make a difference to all our cancer family is so rewarding.”

🤝 Want to make a difference?

You can register to join our Patient Representative Panel and help shape the future of cancer services for our communities by completing this form.

🎨 To mark the week, we’ve created a graphic representing our Patient Representative Panel, capturing their voices, experiences and the impact they help make across cancer services.

We asked our patient representative community to share a few words about their experiences and what being a part of our patient rep panel has meant to them. This is what they had to say:

“A wonderful radiographer who calmed me down before my MRI and played Beyoncé through the headphones.”

“The porters who talked to me about cats and other stuff whilst being wheeled to the ward.”

"My brain surgeon had the courage to push the limits in the resection of my brain tumour with my permission. Trust and respect for each other gave me a sense of support and kindness."

“Wonderfully skilled anaesthetists and HCA’s who talked to me, distracted me with music and made me laugh before my operation.”

“Being an EMCA patient rep helps me feel I am doing something positive with my experience of cancer.”

"My optician identified my brain tumour. She changed my life for the good. "

“The Radiography team at City Hospital are exceptional.  Such a kind caring group of people who treated me with such kindness at all appointments. It made a huge positive difference to my cancer journey.”

“Professionals of all specialisms have in the main been either very good or exceptional in the care they have provided me from courteous welcome to thorough investigations to exceptional treatment.”

“My gynae consultant Mr Ismail at the Leicester General Hospital has been outstanding in many ways. I have seen him now over the past 4 years and he has always been friendly, thorough and engaging.”

“My experience being a patient representative has been exceptional. I have learnt a lot, been able to participate and have evidence of our voices being heard and acted upon.”

"The two breast care wound nurses at Nottingham Breast Institute, Debbie and Sal, have had a big positive impact on my recovery."

"I have had to see them on a very regular basis after each of my surgeries and they have always been so friendly and professional that I always look forward to seeing them.  Things have not gone smoothly for me and they were always there to help and give advice.  Most of all, I remember Debbie saying to me “don’t worry, we will get there, it’s just taking a bit longer than for most women” and I believed her which is what has kept me going.  They both deserve recognition for their dedication to looking after women who have gone through mastectomies and follow up surgeries."

"Being a patient representative for EMCA has had a positive impact on me as it has given me a sense of purpose."

"It has also given me the confidence to talk about my experiences to people and I have since been part of three separate pieces of research – all of which I hope will benefit cancer patients in the future.  Also, I have had an insight into how much work goes on behind the scenes and how so many different people are keen to hear patient’s experiences so that they can improve their service.  I find this very positive and it’s nice to be able to spread the good news of how hard people are working to improve the lives of those living with and beyond cancer."

“I would like a mention for Dr Georgina Walker, my oncologist at NUH City hospital. She has been a constant supporter during my cancer journey for the last 5+ years. I don't know how I would have coped without her.”