Your experience of hospital spaces as a cancer patient

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What helps people feel comfortable, calm, safe or connected in hospital spaces, and what makes a hard day harder? Your experience can help the people who design hospital spaces, and those who have to navigate them, understand what truly matters to patients.

I'm Natalia, a PhD researcher at the University of West London. My research is about something patients don't often get asked about: not the medical treatment itself, but the hospital spaces where cancer care happens - the entrances and car parks, the waiting areas, the corridors, the light and noise, the places to sit, and the room for family. These everyday spaces shape how care feels, yet they are rarely captured in national surveys, which focus on the medical side of care.

Patient and public involvement runs through every stage of my research, not just the end. I want this to be a conversation with people who have lived it, rather than a study done about them.

To start please share your experience by responding to the questions on this page. Stage 2 will be a short survey for anyone who wants to say more, and a chance to volunteer for an interview. You're welcome to share as much or as little as you like.

Please add your thoughts below on:

  • Beyond the treatment itself, what was your experience of the hospital spaces - the waiting areas, corridors, entrances, and places to sit and pass the time?
  • What helped, and what would you change?
  • When you’re asked for your feedback, through surveys, forms or comment cards - do they capture what matters most to you?

Thank you for taking the time.

What helps people feel comfortable, calm, safe or connected in hospital spaces, and what makes a hard day harder? Your experience can help the people who design hospital spaces, and those who have to navigate them, understand what truly matters to patients.

I'm Natalia, a PhD researcher at the University of West London. My research is about something patients don't often get asked about: not the medical treatment itself, but the hospital spaces where cancer care happens - the entrances and car parks, the waiting areas, the corridors, the light and noise, the places to sit, and the room for family. These everyday spaces shape how care feels, yet they are rarely captured in national surveys, which focus on the medical side of care.

Patient and public involvement runs through every stage of my research, not just the end. I want this to be a conversation with people who have lived it, rather than a study done about them.

To start please share your experience by responding to the questions on this page. Stage 2 will be a short survey for anyone who wants to say more, and a chance to volunteer for an interview. You're welcome to share as much or as little as you like.

Please add your thoughts below on:

  • Beyond the treatment itself, what was your experience of the hospital spaces - the waiting areas, corridors, entrances, and places to sit and pass the time?
  • What helped, and what would you change?
  • When you’re asked for your feedback, through surveys, forms or comment cards - do they capture what matters most to you?

Thank you for taking the time.

Beyond the treatment itself, what was your experience of the hospital spaces - the waiting areas, corridors, entrances, and places to sit and pass the time? What helped, and what would you change?

When you’re asked for your feedback, through surveys, forms or comment cards - do they capture what matters most to you? What do they miss, and how would you change the way they ask?

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  • Share OAK CENTRE COMFORT on Facebook Share OAK CENTRE COMFORT on X (formerly Twitter) Share OAK CENTRE COMFORT on Linkedin Email OAK CENTRE COMFORT link

    OAK CENTRE COMFORT

    by jeanmary66, 4 days ago
    I recently attended an event at The Oak Centre, Sutton on an extremely hot day in July.


    I appreciate that this is a new building but could not help appreciate how inviting it felt.


    It was light, airy and bright - not feeling like a hospital at all!


    I have visited Sutton and Chelsea Hospitals and realise they are older buildings, particularly Chelsea. But although both very comfortable hospitals, they did not have the same atmosphere as The Oak Centre.



    I recently attended an event at The Oak Centre, Sutton on an extremely hot day in July.


    I appreciate that this is a new building but could not help appreciate how inviting it felt.


    It was light, airy and bright - not feeling like a hospital at all!


    I have visited Sutton and Chelsea Hospitals and realise they are older buildings, particularly Chelsea. But although both very comfortable hospitals, they did not have the same atmosphere as The Oak Centre.



  • Share Royal Marsden Sutton new Oak Cancer center outpatients on Facebook Share Royal Marsden Sutton new Oak Cancer center outpatients on X (formerly Twitter) Share Royal Marsden Sutton new Oak Cancer center outpatients on Linkedin Email Royal Marsden Sutton new Oak Cancer center outpatients link

    Royal Marsden Sutton new Oak Cancer center outpatients

    by secondtime, 5 days ago
    The new outpatients department at Sutton - the Oak Cancer Centre - has comfortable seating areas, not in rows, drinking water provided, notification of treatment rooms on screens and by text. Everything is done on one day. Blood tests first, then consultant visit an hour later followed by prescription ordered electronically and collected after approx half an hour wait. It's a great improvement on the old system.


    There is a small cafe run by an outside company which is OK but very expensive.


    The new outpatients department at Sutton - the Oak Cancer Centre - has comfortable seating areas, not in rows, drinking water provided, notification of treatment rooms on screens and by text. Everything is done on one day. Blood tests first, then consultant visit an hour later followed by prescription ordered electronically and collected after approx half an hour wait. It's a great improvement on the old system.


    There is a small cafe run by an outside company which is OK but very expensive.


  • Share Comfortable seats to wait in on Facebook Share Comfortable seats to wait in on X (formerly Twitter) Share Comfortable seats to wait in on Linkedin Email Comfortable seats to wait in link

    Comfortable seats to wait in

    by Lynne63, 7 days ago
    The Oak cancer centre is a pleasant enough place to wait for blood tests and clinic with volunteers occasionally playing the piano or harp. The area is let down by the hard low backed seats and the long wooden panelling which is hard on the eyes

    I have experienced inconsistencies with information about whether a drug can be make up the night before or only on the day. It seems that the pharmacy has staffing issues which are causing delays which badly affect patients. The majority of the service is exemplary

    The Oak cancer centre is a pleasant enough place to wait for blood tests and clinic with volunteers occasionally playing the piano or harp. The area is let down by the hard low backed seats and the long wooden panelling which is hard on the eyes

    I have experienced inconsistencies with information about whether a drug can be make up the night before or only on the day. It seems that the pharmacy has staffing issues which are causing delays which badly affect patients. The majority of the service is exemplary

  • Share A brilliant service let down at the final moment on Facebook Share A brilliant service let down at the final moment on X (formerly Twitter) Share A brilliant service let down at the final moment on Linkedin Email A brilliant service let down at the final moment link

    A brilliant service let down at the final moment

    by Martyn 77, 8 days ago
    Everything about the RRC at Chelsea is beyond all expectations. The care cannot be faulted. But the last point of call is the Pharmacy. Patients are tired and want to get home, However, the Pharmacy appears understaffed and explanations for delays are of the 'unknown' variety. The staff do not seem in sink with the medics. The waiting area is small and usually there is no spare seating. The wait can be hours. It would be best if more publicity could be made of the fact that prescriptions can be mailed to patients. I was not made aware until many... Continue reading
    Everything about the RRC at Chelsea is beyond all expectations. The care cannot be faulted. But the last point of call is the Pharmacy. Patients are tired and want to get home, However, the Pharmacy appears understaffed and explanations for delays are of the 'unknown' variety. The staff do not seem in sink with the medics. The waiting area is small and usually there is no spare seating. The wait can be hours. It would be best if more publicity could be made of the fact that prescriptions can be mailed to patients. I was not made aware until many months of endless waiting had passed.
  • Share Treat me as a person on Facebook Share Treat me as a person on X (formerly Twitter) Share Treat me as a person on Linkedin Email Treat me as a person link

    Treat me as a person

    by pejic, 8 days ago
    I didn't like seeing the babes in arms who were suffering what I was suffering without knowing why.


    As far as I opersonally am concerned I had added stress because of other problems like mobility and dementia which the cancer nurses and doctors seemed to know nothing about, and seemed to deem of far less important than their role.

    I didn't like seeing the babes in arms who were suffering what I was suffering without knowing why.


    As far as I opersonally am concerned I had added stress because of other problems like mobility and dementia which the cancer nurses and doctors seemed to know nothing about, and seemed to deem of far less important than their role.

  • Share Waiting for clinic appointment. on Facebook Share Waiting for clinic appointment. on X (formerly Twitter) Share Waiting for clinic appointment. on Linkedin Email Waiting for clinic appointment. link

    Waiting for clinic appointment.

    by ScotOnTheMove, 8 days ago
    No one likes being too hot or being too cold.

    No one should be allowed to play music/messages etc on their phones without headphones. Many patients are feeling tired, emotional and/or unwell; a quiet peaceful waiting area or one with quiet conversations going on is soothing. Sitting next to someone playing video games or listening to music without headphones or having an unmuted telephone conversation is not!

    A special area should be provided for those with young children (if allowed) as many cancer patients have been asked to stay away from young children and therefore feel disturbed when they arrive... Continue reading

    No one likes being too hot or being too cold.

    No one should be allowed to play music/messages etc on their phones without headphones. Many patients are feeling tired, emotional and/or unwell; a quiet peaceful waiting area or one with quiet conversations going on is soothing. Sitting next to someone playing video games or listening to music without headphones or having an unmuted telephone conversation is not!

    A special area should be provided for those with young children (if allowed) as many cancer patients have been asked to stay away from young children and therefore feel disturbed when they arrive in the waiting area.

    Where chairs/space are limited only one accompanying adult should be permitted to accompany the patient and spaces between pairs of chairs left. At busy times patients have to sit apart from their accompanying person, or have to sit squashed next to someone they do not know. Again those warned against infection risks find this uncomfortable.

    Pairs of chairs for patients and an accompanying friend/family member with spaces between them feel preferable to rows of chairs where newcomers have to negotiate leaving a space between them and their neighbour.

Page last updated: 02 Oct 2026, 01:23 PM