Wessex Neuro-oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has made it a key recommendation that all patietns diagnosed with a suspected brain tumour should be discussed before (and during) treatment by an appropriate multidisciplinary team (MDT). In Wessex we were amongst the first groups in the UK to adopt these guidelines for all patients (NHS & private) in order to ensure our patients receive the best possible advice. See NICE guidelines for further details.

WHAT IS A NEURO-ONCOLOGY MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM?

This is a group of professionals with expert knowledge in the investigation and treatment of patients who may have a brain tumour. Not every patient referred to this team has got a tumour; this might be one of several possibilites. There are many members of the team and these include:

• Neuroradiologists (to look at scans)
• Neurosurgeons (to carry out surgery)
• Neuro-oncologists (to give radiotherapy and chemotherapy)
• Neuropathologists (to look at biopsies)
• Neurologists (to manage epilepsy, vascular and inflammatory conditions)
• Specialist nurses (to help look after patients)

WHO IS IN THE WESSEX NEURO-ONCOLOGY MDT?

There are many members of the group but include the following:

• Mr Paul Grundy, Consultant Neurosurgeon, MDT Lead Clinician
• Mr Jonathan Duffill and Mr Owen Sparrow, Consultant Neurosurgeons
• Dr Geoff Sharpe and Dr Omar Alsalihi, Consultant Neuro-oncologist, Southampton
• Dr Danny Dubois, Consultant Neuro-oncologist, Portsmouth
• Dr Joe Davis and Dr Maxine Flubacher, Consultant Neuro-oncologists, Poole
• Dr Harriet Joy and Dr Adam Ditchfield, Consultant Neuroradiologists
• Prof James Nicoll, Dr Mark Walker and Dr Ingrid Mazanti, Consultant Neuropathologists
• Janet Day, Toni Slaven and Stephanie Crawford, Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Debbie Adams, MDT coordinator

WHEN IS THE NEURO-ONCOLOGY MDT MEETING?

The members of this MDT meet every Tuesday from 9:30-11:30am to discuss the management of every new patient who is diagnosed with a suspected brain tumour and to review patients who have already had some treatment. The recommendations of the MDT will be sent back to your local doctors by fax within 48 hours of the meeting, provided all of the relevant documentation and scans were available for us to review in that meeting.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS MEETING?

Brain tumours are rare and the management is complex and specialised. In order for your case to be managed in the best possible way there is a need for it to be discussed (before any treatment) by this group of experts. It is now a national recommendation of NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) that all patients are discussed in this meeting and are treated by dedicated specialists. This provides you with the best care.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN FROM NOW?

Your local doctors may well have already discussed your case with a member of the neurosurgery team by telephone and will have probably already have started you on some medical treatment. You may have had a CT scan of the head and you will usually need an MRI scan of the brain and sometimes CT scans of the rest of your body. This is to allow us to make the best decision about your treatment. If you are well enough you will probably be discharged home and will be contacted with the outcome of the MDT meeting either by your local doctors or by the MDT. The next steps will then be explained - you may need more tests either at your local hospital or in Southampton and you may be seen in a clinic by a specialist or be admitted or transferred to Southampton for further care.

I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS - WHO DO I ASK?

Your local doctors and your GP should be able to answer all of your questions initially and they will receive written advice from the MDT meeting by the Thursday after the meeting. Please discuss any problems with them in the first instance, as the MDT coordinator will not be able to provide you with any more information until after this time.

CAN I BE SEEN AND TREATED PRIVATELY?

The Wessex Neurological Centre accepts and treats NHS and private patients. We also work exclusively with Spire Southampton Hospital to provide a private service for neuro-oncology patients. The oncology centres also treat private patients with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Private patients are treated outside of routine NHS lists so in no way compromise the care of NHS patients. If you wish to be seen and treated privately please contact the MDT coordinator (02380 796596) or Diane Gubbins at Spire Southampton (02380 914415) as soon as possible for more information.