The workload and burn-out at oncology wards may be high due to the confrontation with sever ill and dying patients. Improvement of the communication climate is an important factor for high quality of in palliative care. At an oncology ward the staff were involved in a three during communication skill training project. Weekly meetings were held for staff memebers; all professions of the oncology clinic (day clinic, policlinic and clinic) were involved in the projects (nurses, physicians, physiotherapists, clergymen, and other para-medical personnel). Surveys among the staffmembers (n=60) show an improvement of the communication climate. The training were positively evaluated. The study aimed at the increase of cancer patients by communication training for the staff of an oncology ward. During three years three different patient samples were studied: before the start of the intervention, after one year and at the end of the project. It concerns three samples of about 150 patients; the response rates varied between 60 - 65%. The questionnaires, filled at home contained questions on patient satisfaction about the communication climate, the information supply and support, the supplied care, the well-being and the quality of life. The standardized instruments were reliable; alpha coefficients varying between 0.60 - 0.90. The results show significant increasing satisfaction with the general satisfaction with the care, information supply by nurses and physicians, the communication with the physicians, the care by nurses the communication between daycare department and clinic, the support received by physicians. After three years, the patients expresses in general, less wishes concerning changes on support for their problems. The increased satisfaction with the care improved the subjective quality of live. Training in communication skills is an important means to improve the quality of palliative care on oncology wards.