Urology - Urology Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT)

Diagnosing and treating urological cancers require a team of experts. This team is called a Multidisciplinary Team (or MDT for short). These people will work together to decide which treatment will be most effective in treating your cancer. The aim of this leaflet is to explain who the members of the MDT are and how they will be involved in your care.

The MDT meets on a weekly basis to ensure that patients with cancer can be discussed without delay. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the group of experts to review all the information about you (such as biopsy results and scans) and to consider your opinion and your general health before making any recommendations about treatments for you.

You come first

It is important that we know your views on what treatment(s) would be acceptable to you. You may have worries or fears about particular types of treatments or concerns about the logistics of treatment regimes. You may also not know how you feel at this point. It’s important to us to know what’s important to you outside of your cancer diagnosis.

After the MDT has met, we will bring you back to clinic to discuss possible treatment options with you in more detail. We will ensure you have all the information you require, including our CNS Contact details for further discussion if required. When a decision has been made about your treatment, we will inform your GP straight away.

The Team

There are lots of people in the MDT. All of them play a part in supporting you and your family through your treatment. Some of the team that you may come into contact with may include the following:

Urologist

This is a Specialist Doctor who can assess Urological conditions and diagnose urological cancers. Once the cancer has been diagnosed, he/she will discuss your different treatment options with you. If an operation is offered to treat your cancer the urologist will perform this for you.

Clinical Oncologist

This is a doctor who is an expert in radiotherapy and medical therapies for cancer. This may include chemotherapy or immunotherapies.

Urology Nurse Specialist

This is an expert nurse with experience and qualifications in urology and cancer. The nurse specialist will help co-ordinate your care and make sure that you are well informed about your treatment plan. He / she will act as a point of contact for you and your family. Part of your treatment and / or surveillance may be undertaken in the nurse led clinics.

Research Nurse

This nurse identifies patients who are suitable to take part in a research study or clinical trial. You may be asked if you would like to be part of a research study. The research nurse will provide you with all the relevant information and supports you should you choose to participate.

Radiologist

This is a doctor who is an expert in performing and analysing x- rays and scans from which a cancer diagnosis can be made.

Pathologist

This is a doctor who is an expert in looking at cancer cells under a microscope. He / she can determine the type of cancer you have. This then helps the team in arranging the most suitable treatment.

A Specialist Registrar

This is a doctor who has chosen to specialise in this area. He / she is receiving specialist training in urology.

MDT Co-ordinator

This is someone who is responsible for tracking your care pathway, identifying any potential breaches of cancer waiting times and targets. They collate all of your relevant details for discussion at the MDT meeting & ensure clinicians are aware of the timings of cancer pathways.

Learners

As a teaching hospital we support a wide range of learners throughout the department. You may be asked if you’re happy for them to be present and/or partake in your care delivery.

These learners may also attend the MDT meetings in order for them to gain an understanding about risk stratification, influencing factors of decision making & the interdisciplinary working in cancer care treatments.

All these specialists work together to recommend the best options for the treatment of your cancer.

Any Questions

If you are worried about anything or perhaps don’t understand something you have heard or read, your specialist nurse is there to help.

A specialist nurse is on duty from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted on 0161 206 5380

A nurse may not always be available to take your call straight away, but please leave your contact details with their secretary or on their answering machine and you will receive a call back as soon as possible.