PAN BIRMINGHAM CANCER NETWORK - NHS Pan Birmingham ...

5. Network Board Report\Presentation
As part of his role as Chair, JS will be expected to attend the
Network Board annually to present the report on the work
undertaken by this group, what achievements have been made and
what challenges are being experienced.
One of the issues that will be raised is in relation to 24\7 and 7\7
provision and the outcome of the visits. Another issue that was felt
should be discussed is in relation to staff issues across the Network
especially as the Network are low when compared to other
Networks.
During a discussion it was agreed that other issues to be raised
included the concern over the MSCC pathway, non-cancer workload
support and the transition of children to adult services.
During this item JD took the opportunity to update the group on the
development of imaging guidelines for patients with MSCC which
had been produced by the Radiology Network Site Specific Group
and circulated to this group and the Bony Metastases Network Site
Specific Group for consultation.
The general comments received indicated that the guidance needed
to be more in line with the NICE Guidance which states that the
service should be provided 7\7. It was outlined that if this guidance
was to be followed then Acute Trusts need to be made aware of the
decision and that all patients with MSCC should be managed with
appropriate clinical rapidity and that liaison should be undertaken
with the Oncology Team at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust.
It was outlined that while in theory this service is acceptable in reality
it is not available largely due to the non-provision of oncology
support 24 hours, 7 days a week. JS expressed the view that all
Acute Trusts in the Network should be aiming to provide a 7 day a
week MRI service for patients with suspected MSCC and went on to
say that it was unacceptable in his view to continue to transfer often
sick patients from one hospital to another (‘out of hours’) in order to
have imaging performed that could often be carried out in the original
referring hospital provided a 7 day a week MRI service was put in
place.
Several members of the group also felt that the pathway for
suspected MSCC for patients who are not currently in either the
Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or University
Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust was still not clear –
especially ‘out of hours’ when imaging was once again raised as an
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