Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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This page contains information about the team who will be looking after you and aims to help you understand more about the services available.
All the health professionals involved in your treatment will meet as a specialist multidisciplinary team (MDT) to agree an optimum treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis and decide on the best care and treatment. The team will follow best practice clinical guidelines.
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Key Worker
Clinical Nurse Specialists are able to offer increased levels of support, advice and guidance to patients either suspected of having, or diagnosed with, cancer.
They will assist in arranging any further investigations and are available to explain these tests.
All patients suspected or diagnosed with cancer have access to a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The nurse may be present with a Consultant when the explanation of a diagnosis of cancer is given, and you will be advised of a plan recommended by the multidisciplinary team (MDT). If the Specialist Nurse is unable to be present during the discussion of your diagnosis, you will be offered information about how to contact her.
You may see your Gastro-intestinal (upper GI) CNS in the GI Unit, ward, Emergency Department (A&E) or in outpatients. If you are having radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery at another hospital, you may meet their local CNS / Specialist Nurse.
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
The MDT is a group of experts who meet regularly to review cases of suspected or confirmed cancer diagnosis; they use the team’s knowledge to establish a treatment and or care plan individual to you. The upper GI MDT meeting occurs weekly on Fridays.
The MDT includes Consultants and Specialists in Gastrointestinal Medicine, Surgery, Oncology, Radiology, Pathology & Histopathology, Research, Palliative Care and the CNS. The CNS attends as a core member to represent you and your views.
Representatives from the Hammersmith Hospital and Oxford University Hospital may attend the MDT to offer specialist advice since your investigations and treatment might be at one of these hospitals.
Your personal treatment plan is then communicated to all those involved in your care to ensure it is holistic. This may include community carers, District Nurses and GPs, to ensure continuity of your care is maintained and information to help support you is shared.
Contact details
The CNS service is available between 8.00 am and 4.00 pm, Monday – Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). The CNS team can be contacted via the Macmillan Navigators Service (see Macmillan Navigators leaflet), which is the first point of contact for all Specialist nurses. If the Macmillan Navigators are not able to help you with your query they will forward a message to the CNS team on your behalf.
During Bank Holidays, weekends and out of hours please contact the out of hours GP or dial 111 for advice; in an emergency, dial 999.
Macmillan Navigators: 0300 613 3535
Email: fhft.
Other useful contact details
Macmillan Cancer Support and Information Centre
0300 615 4886 Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Cancer care service.
About this information
Service:
Cancer care
Reference:
HH/041
Approval date:
1 July 2025
Review date:
1 January 2028
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.