Introductory webinars on streamlining get underway in a further boost to Multi Disciplinary Team Meetings

North East London Cancer Alliance is undertaking a programme of work called Streamlining, which is part of its wider programme of work to improve Multi Disciplinary Team Meetings (MDTMs).

This follows an engagement event held in July 2023, which brought together key stakeholders working in cancer from across north east London to collectively decide how MDTMs will look and feel moving forward.

As a reminder, MDTMs are where a group of health and care staff who are members of different organisations and professions (e.g. GPs, clinicians, nurses) come together to make decisions regarding the treatment of individual cancer patients and service users.

What is streamlining?

Streamlining follows NHSE guidance and is applied to cancer patients following their diagnosis. It aims to use standards of care documents and protocolise patients on their individual circumstances so that more complex cases go through a full MDTM and more straightforward, easier to treat, cases get support via a triage meeting and then progress to treatment quickly.

The benefit of this is that in simpler cases, patients get treatment more quickly and, at the same time, capacity for MDTMs is increased for patients with more complex needs, so they can get the specialist levels of support required.

It seeks to optimise clinical time, ensuring focused attention on cases requiring Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) input, while enhancing clinical management​​.

What is the aim of the Streamlining Programme?

We want to collaborate with MDTs within the North East London Cancer Alliance to drive locally evidence-based improvements that meet NHS England’s Streamlining Guidance standards (2020), ensuring the highest efficacy in cancer care.

Who is the programme for?

These are for cancer MDT members who will steer their teams through a 12-18 month streamlining initiative. The programme has been endorsed by the cancer alliance and you have the full support of Senior Cancer Leads to engage with it.

What does it involve?

There are three expert-facilitated phases spanning 2024-2025 that include the following:

1. initiating streamlining processes
2. implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of these processes
3. collaboratively creating resources to sustain and evaluate ongoing streamlining efforts.

What are the potential benefits of the programme?

The programme is set to deliver:

• Enhanced decision-making on complex cases.
• Streamlined MDT processes, leading to faster patient care pathways.
• An enriched meeting experience for MDT members.
• Strengthened capacity for continuous improvement.

How to get involved?

Reach out to Ellen.Quinney1@nhs.net to indicate your interest and obtain further details and assistance with the first steps of involvement.

Attend an introductory webinar to receive an overview of the programme, which will take place on 3 consecutive Fridays 12-1pm: 1st, 8th and 15th March. Please email Ellen to register.