The Christie Charity
In response to feedback from our patients, the Colorectal and Peritoneal Oncology Centre (CPOC) team have designed and implemented a new clinic and pathway for patients requiring complex surgery for advanced pelvic malignancy.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is the designated regional referral centre for locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer, anal cancer, retroperitoneal and abdomino-pelvic sarcomas, and complex pelvic malignancies of urological and gynaecological origin.
As well as being the designated regional provider for patients requiring this complex surgery in Greater Manchester, CPOC also treats many other patients from around the UK. These patients often require input from many of these teams as well as plastic, vascular and spinal surgeons.
Where previously patients would have to make multiple trips to The Christie to see their different specialists, as well as attending for anaesthetic and pre-operative assessment, this has now been combined into a single point of access, mirroring the function of the regional Advanced Pelvic Cancer MDT. After meeting their nominated consultant at an initial consultation, patients are scheduled into the new dedicated clinic either the same or next week.
How the multi-specialty pelvic resection clinic works
The clinic is split into 2 sections. In the latter part of the morning, patients see the surgeons and nurse specialists from the teams relevant to their procedure. After lunch, patients are taken on a tour of the hospital and have any imaging investigations which are necessary or outstanding.
In the early part of the afternoon, patients see a consultant anaesthetist and undergo cardio-pulmonary exercise testing. Following this, they meet the pre-operative nursing team, stoma team, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) team, physiotherapist, dietician and the complementary health team. Patients are then also approached about relevant research studies.
The first 20 patients from across Greater Manchester and beyond have already benefited from this new service, streamlining and improving their cancer journey from referral to treatment. Some recent patients have left the following comments after their attendance at the clinic:
“I had plenty of time to think about questions and have them answered.”
“Great system to see all the surgeons at once who explained everything in an understandable way.”
“Eliminates lots of travelling for us. Also reduces stress levels to only have one appointment”.
“Everybody concerned was very attentive to mine and my wife’s needs.”
“A well-organised day”.
“I feel much more relaxed and confident about the whole process”.
Lead for the clinic and consultant surgeon Paul Sutton said: “This new clinic has been a great step forwards for our patients, helping improve and streamline access to some of the specialist surgical services we provide at The Christie”.