Variability in cancer multidisciplinary team working

Project summary

Background

Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) have been the main portal through which cancer diagnosis and treatment decisions have been made in England since 1995. MDTs were introduced to better coordinate cancer care, improve patient outcomes, increase recruitment into clinical trials, offer better educational opportunities and better job satisfaction for health professionals. Currently, cancer care within the UK is routinely delivered via MDTs.

There is increasing evidence that MDTs have improved the decision-making process, but there is little conclusive research regarding the quality of the decisions made and the impact that MDTs have overall had on patient outcomes. It has been suggested that existing variability in MDT functioning may have affected the potential of MDTs to improve care.

Aims

• The aims of this project are to assess the variability in teamwork and decision-making and the structure and organization in cancer MDTs and implement changes to improve the MDT meeting process.
  
  

Objectives 

To systematically review the variability in cancer treatment decision-making.To assess the variability of MDT decision-making and team work across tumour types using a pre-existing tool. (please link to MDT-MODe)To review current documentation in use by Urology MDTs nationally and devise a standardised method of documentation.To devise a proforma to implement change in the MDT preparation process and evaluate whether it improves the MDT discussion.

Methods

• Mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology will be used to address the objectives

Outputs

To come