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After your cancer diagnosis, your test results and medical history are discussed in a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting. All the head and neck team will be at this meeting to plan a programme of treatment specific to you.

The surgical team will carry out any operations you might need. Oncologists will provide radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment. It is usual for patients undergoing these treatments to need help from other specialists, both before and after. In this hospital we all work as a team, each with their own job, as described below.

It is the role of the head and neck cancer Specialist Nurses to support you from diagnosis and throughout treatment. At diagnosis and at each stage of your care pathway, you will receive information about the treatment options available so that you can decide what is best for you. The head and neck cancer Specialist Nurses can give practical advice and information about any aspect of your illness or treatment. They will also be a link for you between home, the local health care team and hospital.

The team will follow your progress for five years after your treatment is completed, at monthly intervals at first, but less frequently each year.

If you would like to meet someone who has had similar treatment, please ask the head and neck cancer Specialist Nurses who will be pleased to organise this for you. They can be contacted on 01865 234 346.

The key worker will be your main point of contact with the hospital. They will coordinate your care. This role is usually carried out by a Specialist Nurse, but this person may change as your needs change. We will let you know when this happens.