Acute Oncology

The Acute Oncology Team (AOT) ensures that cancer patients who are admitted to our hospital have optimal management of their treatment, or cancer related complication, with timely discharge and onward referral to oncology/palliative care services.

If a patient presents with a new cancer diagnosis, but doesn’t currently fit on an existing cancer pathway, they will have a quick assessment and appropriate investigation of their condition with a rapid decision on management. This will be done as follows:

• Defining standardised patient pathways for common presentations
• Cooperation with medical, surgical, haematological and urgent care services to deliver robust clinical protocols for emergent problems
• Cooperation with radiology and pathology services to deliver a rapid diagnostic pathway
• Education and training to raise standards
• Prospective data collection and real-time performance management
• Regular clinical audit
• Implementation of local, national and international directives
• Engagement with clinical research protocols where feasible
• Provision of comprehensive information to patients and carers
• Involvement of patients and carers in appraisal and redesign of the service