The Breast Cancer
Multidisciplinary Team:
William Harvey Hospital, Ashford
Information for patients
We would like to introduce you to the multidisciplinary team for breast cancer care at East Kent
Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.
We are a specialist cancer unit, part of the Kent Cancer Network, and work closely with the Kent
Oncology Centre.
What is a multidisciplinary team?
The multidisciplinary team is a team of doctors, nurses, surgeons and administration support staff
who all have specialist training and experience in diagnosing, treating and supporting patients with
breast cancer.
What do we do?
Working together with you we hope to provide you with information, advice and support.
How do we work?
At your first visit you would normally be seen by the surgical team, who will discuss with you your
symptoms and the results of any early investigations.
From this we will plan any further investigations and treatment that may be necessary. You will be
given the opportunity to ask questions and be advised how to obtain further information.
The multidisciplinary team meets every week to discuss individual patient care. If you wish to know
what was discussed in relation to your care and treatment, please contact your specialist nurse.
If you need to go to another hospital
If you need to go to another hospital for investigations, consultation, surgery or other forms of
treatment we will give you information about the hospital involved.
Care and treatment
We will respect your privacy and dignity, and be sensitive to and respect your religious, spiritual
and cultural needs at all times. You will be treated fairly, according to your healthcare needs,
regardless of age, disability or sexuality.
Research
You will be given information on any research or clinical trials in which you could be involved,
including possible benefits and disadvantages. Entry into trials is voluntary and a decision not to
enter a trial will not prejudice your clinical care.
Members of the Multidisciplinary Team
Role
William Harvey Hospital (WHH)
Consultant Surgeons
• Mr Nicholas Williams
• Mr Chinedu Chianakwalam
Oncologists
• Dr Natasha Mithal
(doctors who treat cancer)
Radiologists
• Dr William Webb
• Dr Kashif Naeem
Pathologists
• Dr Charles Lawson
(discuss pathology specimens)
• Dr Doraline Phillips
• Dr Cate Wight
Nurse Consultant
• Sally Kum
Clinical Nurse Specialists/Key
• Suzannah Fitzgerald
Workers
• Louise Houston
• Fiona Mahon
• Vanessa Potter
• Penny Price
Multidisciplinary Co-ordinator
• Becci Clark
Comments and suggestions
We aim to deliver a high standard of care and welcome any comments or suggestions about the
service you have received.
A leaflet called Talk to us ... tells you about the Trust’s complaints procedure. Feel free to ask a
member of staff for this.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
This service helps to improve both patients and visitors hospital experience. For more information
contact PALS on 01227 783145 / 01227 864314 or email PALS at [email protected]
Your personal information
Information is kept in accordance with the Trust’s data protection policy. A leaflet called
You and your personal information tells you about your legal rights and personal information.
Please feel free to ask a member of staff for this.
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The role of the Breast Care Nurses/Key Workers
As Breast Care Nurses/Key Workers we can act as a point of contact for you and can give you
advice and support around:
• explaining your diagnosis
• investigation and treatment options
• symptom management
• emotional issues
• prosthesis advice
• family history.
And can put you in contact with other services such as:
• counsellors
• social workers
• benefits advisors
• specialist symptom advice
• the lymphoedema service.
You will be offered a permanent record/letter outlining your diagnosis and planned treatment. You
can choose to accept this or not.
Contacting your Breast Care Nurse/Key Worker
If you would like to contact your Breast Care Nurse/Key Worker between 9am and 5pm Monday to
Friday please telephone 01227 868666. One of our co-ordinators will take your call and depending
on the nature of your enquiry will either put you through to the correct department or book you a
time slot to talk with your Breast Care Nurse/Key Worker. An answer phone is available outside of
these hours.
In an emergency please contact your GP
Further information
Further information about breast cancer is available through the following web sites
• NHS Choices: Information Prescription Service - www.nhs.uk/ips
• Breast Cancer Care - www.breastcancercare.org.uk
• Macmillan Cancer Support - www.macmillan.org.uk
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Any complaints, comments, concerns, or compliments
If you have other concerns please talk to your doctor or nurse. Alternatively please contact our
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01227 783145 or 01227 864314,
or email [email protected]
Further patient information leaflets
In addition to this leaflet, East Kent Hospitals has a wide range of other patient information leaflets
covering conditions, services, and clinical procedures carried out by the Trust. For a full listing
please go to www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/patientinformation or contact a member of staff.
After reading this information, do you have any further questions or comments? If so,
please list below and bring to the attention of your nurse or consultant.
Would you like the information in this leaflet in another format or language?
We value equality of access to our information and services and
are therefore happy to provide the information in this leaflet in
Braille, large print, or audio - upon request.
If you would like a copy of this document in your language, please contact the ward or department
responsible for your care.
Pacjenci chcący uzyskać kopię tego dokumentu w swoim języku ojczystym powinni skontaktować
się z oddziałem lub działem odpowiedzialnym za opiekę nad nimi.
Ak by ste chceli kópiu tohto dokumentu vo vašom jazyku, prosím skontaktujte nemocničné
pracovisko, alebo oddelenie zodpovedné za starostlivosť o vás.
Pokud byste měli zájem o kopii tohoto dokumentu ve svém jazyce, kontaktujte prosím oddělení
odpovídající za Vaši péči.
Чтобы получить копию этого документа на вашем родном языке, пожалуйста обратитесь в
отделение, ответственное за ваше лечение.
We have allocated parking spaces for disabled people, automatic doors, induction loops, and can
provide interpretation. For assistance, please contact a member of staff.
This leaflet has been produced with and for patients
Information produced by the Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team
Date reviewed: January 2016
Next review date: January 2018
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