Download The Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)

The Upper Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Multidisciplinary
Team (MDT)
When you are diagnosed with cancer, your case is
always discussed at an appropriate multidisciplinary
team (MDT) meeting
The MDT is made up of people who specialise in the
type of cancer you have been diagnosed with. The
Team usually meets every week to discuss all new
cancer patients in their hospital, and the continuing
care of others.
Every team follows national guidelines or rules on how
they should work with each other, with your GP and
with the other specialist services.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital MDT is recognised as a
Local Diagnostic team for Upper Gastrointestinal
Cancers.
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This means that every patient in addition to being
discussed at our QE team meeting is also discussed by
the specialist Multi-disciplinary team (SMDT) who are
based in Newcastle at both the Royal Victoria and
Freeman Hospitals
This is because treatment for cancers of the
Oesophagus, stomach and pancreas are specialised
and may involve treatment including surgery,
chemotherapy or radiotherapy that local hospitals do
not provide
Your QE Multi-Disciplinary Team is responsible for:
Making the initial diagnosis of cancer,
Providing the initial treatment and support
following diagnosis
Making sure your case is discussed by the
appropriate SMDT
Providing some treatments or further
investigations as recommended after discussion
with the SMDT
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The Specialist Multi-Disciplinary team is responsible
for:
Discussing your case and working out the best
treatment possible
Explaining this to you in a way which you
understand
Planning and Providing the recommended
treatment (which can be a combination of
treatments )
Initially you will have a specialist nurse at the QE. If
you are referred to the SMDT you will be allocated a
new link specialist nurse.
Both local and specialist MDTs work closely together
and your GP will be kept informed too, by letter, fax or
telephone calls. You have the right to receive copies
of these letters and will be offered to you from the
time of diagnosis onwards.
The MDTs are there to ensure that each patient is
given the same, high standard of care, and has the
most appropriate investigations and treatment. This
means that all patients will receive the best possible
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care, no matter who their GP is or which hospital they
attend.
Data Protection
Any personal information is kept confidential. There
may be occasions where your information needs to be
shared with other care professionals to ensure you
receive the best care possible.
In order to assist us improve the services available
your information may be used for clinical audit,
research, teaching and anonymised for National NHS
Reviews. Further information is available in the leaflet
Disclosure of Confidential Information IL137, via
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust website or
the PALS Service.
Information Leaflet: NoIL468
Version:
1
Title:
The Upper Gastro-Intestinal Cancer
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
First Published:
April 2014
Review Date:
April 2016
Author:
David Clarkson
This leaflet can be made available in
other languages and formats upon
request
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