During your
treatment
Following a diagnosis you may face
complex decisions about your treatment.
A multidisciplinary team (often referred
to as the MDT), made up of a broad
section of healthcare professionals with
specialist knowledge and experience of
brain tumours, will make recommendations
about the best treatment for you. All the
options should be discussed with you and
your family so that you can make informed
decisions about your care. Throughout
your treatment, your progress will be
monitored.
As brain tumours affect the part of your
body that controls all of your functions and
makes you who you are, the tumour itself
or the treatment that you receive may have
an impact on your skills and abilities.
Your right to know
•
As Clinical Nurse Specialist we are the lynchpin
in the patients pathway. We offer vital support,
information and signposting as well as sound
clinical advice. We liaise with community services
and primary care teams and help coordinate
the multifaceted care our complex brain tumour
patients need and require. We are experts within
our field. We are patient advocates and have
a duty of care towards them and their families.
You can access holistic needs
assessment, to monitor your support
needs before you’re discharged from
hospital so that the right help is
available to you.
•
A written personalised care plan –
about how your treatment and care
should be carried out.
•
Information about the treatment
options that have been recommended,
including any possible side effects
or associated risks.
•
An opportunity to raise any questions
with your keyworker or someone from
your health team.
•
The details about who you can contact
out-of-hours if you have any concerns,
or in the event of an emergency.
•
You have the right to ask for a second
opinion about your diagnosis and
treatment, so don’t be afraid to ask
if you have any concerns about what
you’ve been told.
•
The opportunity to participate
in clinical trials or other available
research opportunities.
We’re here to help
If you don’t believe that this is something that you are currently being offered
then please contact our Information & Support Team who can work with you
to help you access your rights as quickly as possible.
Ingela Oberg, Clinical Nurse Specialist,
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
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