CANCER patients are being urged to fill in a questionnaire about cancer care as soon as possible.

So far only a third of the patients who have received the questionnaire have responded.

Approximately 500 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the Isle of Man.

The Department of Health's cancer strategy will be developed based on feedback from the questionnaires.

Health Minister David Anderson MHK said: "We're committed to putting service users and their views at the heart of how we develop services for the future.

"I know cancer is a very emotive and delicate subject, but it really is so important that we get the quality of care right, and we can only do that with feedback from patients.

"This is a real opportunity to directly influence the future direction of cancer care."

The questionnaire, the largest ever cancer patient survey carried-out by the department, is being conducted by Quality Health who also undertook the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2010 in England. 

Director of Public Health and the chair of the Cancer Strategy Group Dr Parameswaran Kishore said: "It is essential that as many patients as possible complete the survey.

"This survey will give us a good idea of what it is like to be a patient with cancer in the Isle of Man and will help us improve the service."

It is hoped results will be available for publication in early 2012.

Anyone with any queries about the survey should contact Elizabeth McGowan, cancer services improvement nurse, on 650723.