PERFORMANCE: Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust scored poorly on measures of involving patients in their care in the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey for 2011-12.

It was in the worst 20 per cent of trusts for patients feeling their family had opportunity to talk to doctor, doctors talking in front of patients as if they were not there and patients views being taken into account by doctors and nurses discussing treatment.

However, overall, 86 per cent of patients rated their care excellent or very good.

The majority of patients were happy with the care they received from their GP before and after their diagnosis with 73 per cent of patients feeling practice staff did everything they could to support them putting them in the top 20 per cent nationally.