Neuro-Oncology units in the following Hospitals participate in the  Bristol Neuro-Oncology Group.

University Hospital Bristol Foundation Trust.

The Neuro Oncology department here has three Consultant Clinical Oncologists (Dr Kirsten Hopkins, Dr Alison Cameron and Dr Chris Herbert) who participate face to face in the Specialist MDTs  at Frenchay Hospital. They deliver Oncology treatments including Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and Radiosurgery to patients with  Brain and other Central Nervous system tumours. All patients within Bristol and the majority of patients from North Somerset are treated here and are supported by Clinical Nurse specialists (Lois Baldry and  Belinda Coghlan)

Royal United Hospitals Bath

The Oncology unit here has two Consultant Clinical Oncologists (Dr Penny Kehagioglou and  Dr Mark Beresford) who deliver Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy to patients with Brain Tumours. Patients from Wiltshire with Brain tumours receive medical and supportive treatment from here. If further specialist advice is required then the Specialist MDT at Frenchay Hospital is consulted.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Cheltenham Oncology Centre

The Oncology unit here has two Consultant Clinical Oncologists (Dr Sam Guglani and Dr Sean Elyan) who specialise in delivering treatment for patients with Brain tumours. They refer patients into the Specialist MDTs at Frenchay Hospital and are supported by a Clinical Nurse Specialist (Anita Ashton).

North Bristol NHS Trust

All Adult patients from Bristol, North Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire with a suspected or diagnosed Brain or other Central Nervous system tumour are referred to the Specialist MDTs’ here. Any Surgical treatment or diagnosis will be carried out at Southmead Hospital Bristol. If patients require any additional treatment then it is carried out at local hospitals as above. All care leading up to surgery and post-operative care is co-ordinated here whereas ongoing treatment and support is co-ordinated locally.

The Bristol Neuro-Oncology Group based at North Bristol NHS Trust accepts referrals from healthcare professionals for patients with suspected or proven brain or spinal tumours in adults over the age of 16.

If EMERGENCY TREATMENT is required for any of these conditions, direct referral is recommended via telephone to the on-call neurosurgical team on 0117 414 5726.

If you are experiencing difficulty with using the website or have specific questions about a patient for any of the MDTs, please see the help section.

General Neuro-Oncology MDT

(All referrals to this MDT are discussed on Wednesday morning every week. If this happens to fall on a bank holiday the MDT will be held on the most convenient day of the same week.)

The DEADLINE for receipt of referrals is 12 Noon on Monday every week . Any referral received after this time will only be discussed the following week. If the referral is more urgent please contact the on-call neurosurgical registrar at SouthmeadHospital

General Neuro-Oncology MDT

Skull Base MDTs

(Referrals for all three tumour groups below are discussed fortnightly on the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month)

Please Note: The deadline for receipt of referrals is 7AM on the preceeding Friday.

Skull Base MDT Referral

Bristol Acoustic Neuroma Service

Bristol Pituitary Service

NB: Please supply as many of the prerequisite documents as possible via the specified route otherwise it may result in a delay in response.

Bristol is one of UK's leading treatment centres for brain tumours. The brain tumour treatment team consists of highly experienced doctors, and other health care professionals who care for more than 600 adults and children with gliomas and other brain and nervous system tumours each year. Specialists from neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, neuropathology, radiation therapy, clinical oncology, psychology and brain rehabilitation work together to deliver the most appropriate treatment for each patient diagnosed with a tumour. Bristol Neuro-Oncology services treat a population of over 3 million adults and 5 million children.

Most common referral method 

The most common method of referral is from a secondary care centre to the Neurosurgical unit at Southmead Hospital Bristol, which is part of the North Bristol NHS Trust. Referrals are accepted from anywhere within the country, but the majority come from Bristol (North Bristol NHS Trust, University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust), Weston (Weston General Hospital), Taunton (Musgrove Park Hospital), Yeovil (Yeovil District General Hospital), Bath (Royal United Hospital), Cheltenham and Gloucester (Cheltenham General and Gloucester Royal Hospitals).  

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis and treatment for brain tumours takes place within the recommended NICE guideline of 4 weeks from diagnosis to treatment, and in many cases from referral to treatment. The patient usually presents to the acute medical or emergency service at a secondary care centre (District General Hospital) where initial radiological investigation (CT or MRI scan) picks up a brain or spine abnormality suspicious for a tumour. A referral is then made by the secondary care centre to the Neuro-Oncology MDT (Multi disciplinary team) meeting at North Bristol Trust, where after a discussion of the relevant clinical details, the patient is seen in a Neurosurgical or Oncological clinic to discuss treatment options. Surgery is carried out at North Bristol NHS Trust with further treatment such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, if required, will take place at the nearest local hospital. Making a referral has now been streamlined into a single step electronic process, and can be made from any NHS computer through this website. (Making a referral). We also accept referrals from outside the NHS - Please follow directions on Making a referral. Primary care physicians are welcome to refer patients directly to the Neuro-Oncology MDT, provided an imaging investigation like a CT or MRI scan has picked up an abnormality suspicious of a central nervous system neoplasm.

Incidence of new central nervous system cancers

In the UK traditionally the incidence of new central nervous system cancers in adults has been reported to be around 7 - 10 per 100,000 population, based on 2006 data. This equates to roughly around 4000 - 5000 new cases every year. The vision 2012 paper suggests that the true incidence might be around 15 - 20 per 100,000, as it has recently been recognised that brain tumours are grossly under reported.

If you or your relative has communication needs, please contact us as soon as possible on the telephone on your appointment letter or card received and ask them to arrange an appropriate interpreter.

Our Interpreting Service includes:

• 24 hour access to over 200 community languages via the telephone.
• Patient choice e.g. gender of interpreter, wider range of languages.
• Local communities providing some services e.g working with local Deaf Community to provide an out of hours service for British Sign Language.
• Community language interpreters who have achieved a nationally accredited qualification.

We do not use family members, friends or staff members for interpreting.

Face-to-face interpreting is not always offered as telephone interpreting often offers more choice.

Rest assured that if information is of a particularly sensitive nature, involves children, a lengthy consultation is needed or there is another reason why telephone interpreting cannot be used then face-to–face will be provided.

Adult abuse

Any adult can be a victim of abuse, but some adults may be less able to protect themselves from abuse. When adults require support because of physical or mental disability, mental illness, learning difficulty, chronic illness or frailty they are sometimes referred to as ‘vulnerable adults’.

What is meant by abuse?

Abuse is a violation of a person’s human or civil rights. It can be unintentional or deliberate. Abuse can be:

• Physical
• Sexual
• Psychological/emotional
• Financial
• Neglect
• Discriminatory – when it relates to someone’s sexuality, culture, ethnicity or religion or disability
• Institutional – when people are mistreated as a result of the way a service (e.g. a hospital or care home) is run

What to do if I suspect abuse ?

Some types of abuse can also be crimes; if you suspect a crime has been committed, contact the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Abuse of vulnerable adults can also be reported to Bristol Care Direct on 0117 9222000 or South Gloucestershire Customer Care Services desk on 01454 868007.

If you have a concern about the way a service is being run, you can contact Care Quality Commission on 03000 616161.

For further information, please visit Bristol City Council www.bristol.gov.uk or South Gloucestershire Council www.southglos.gov.uk/safeguardingadult

Safeguarding Adults at North Bristol NHS Trust

• We ensure that all our staff are safe to work with vulnerable adults by carrying out DBS checks.
• We have a policy on Safeguarding Adults which aims to ensure that all staff working with vulnerable adults have training in how to respond if they suspect a vulnerable adult is being abused and how to support this person.
• We are committed to working closely with the police, social services and community health staff to prevent abuse and to respond to possible situations of abuse to support the vulnerable adult and keep them safe.

A 'child' in law is anyone under 18 years of age and safeguarding children is everyone's business.

We recognise that all staff who come into contact with children, young people and their families in their work has a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. We work in partnership with other agencies which include the police, social care, education and the voluntary sector and are members of the two Local Safeguarding Children's Boards.

We are committed to ensuring the safety and the wellbeing of all Children and Young People by;

• Ensuring our staff are safe to work with children and young people by carrying out Criminal Records Bureau checks in line with statutory requirement.
• Having single and multi-agency policies and procedures that are up to date and accessible; these include a Safeguarding policy, a policy for children who do not attend their appointments, a flagging system for children about whom there are concerns and supervision for staff who hold a child protection caseload.
• Delivering a comprehensive programme of safeguarding training at all levels, across the organisation to all Staff.

What should you do if you have a concern about a child?

The Trust Safeguarding team do not provide a service to the public however if you have concerns about a child you should: contact the local authority Children and Young Peoples Services, contact details are available from the local council offices.

Declaration of compliance

Every patient has the right to receive high quality care that is safe, effective and respects their privacy and dignity.

North Bristol NHS Trust is committed to providing every patient with same sex accommodation. This helps to safeguard their privacy and dignity when they are often at their most vulnerable.

North Bristol NHS Trust is pleased to confirm that it has completed and maintained its plans to eliminate mixed sex accommodation where it is in the overall best interests of the patient, or reflects their personal choice’.

Our aim is to have the necessary facilities, resources and culture to ensure that admitted patients will only share the room where they sleep with members of the same sex, and same-sex toilets and bathrooms will be close to their bed area. With the opening of the new state-of-the art Brunel hospital facility, at Southmead Hospital Bristol, this means over 600 of the 1,000 beds at the Trust are single rooms with their own en-suite bathroom.

Sharing with members of the opposite sex will only happen when clinically necessary, for example the Intensive Care Unit.

What this mean for patients

Patients admitted to North Bristol NHS Trust can expect to find:

• The room where your bed is will only have patients of the same sex as you
• Your toilet and bathroom will be just for your gender, and will be close to your bed area.

It is possible that there will be both men and women patients on the ward, but they will not share your sleeping area. 

You may share some communal space, such as day rooms or dining rooms, and it is very likely that you will see both men and women patients as you move around the hospital (e.g. on your way to X-ray or the operating theatre).

Visitors of the opposite gender will come into the ward, and potentially where your bed is, and this may include patients visiting each other. It is almost certain that both male and female nurses, doctors and other staff will come into your bed area.

If you need help to use the toilet or take a bath (e.g. you need a hoist or special bath) then you may be taken to a "unisex" bathroom used by both men and women, but a member of staff will be with you, and other patients will not be in the bathroom at the same time.

We are also committed to ensuring all patients are treated as individuals and that all patients' privacy and dignity are maintained.

The NHS will not turn patients away just because a "right-sex" bed is not immediately available.

If you are suffering from any of the following, you should travel to the Emergency Department or call 999 for an ambulance straightaway:

• Loss of consciousness
• Heavy blood loss that cannot be stopped
• Persistent, severe chest pain
• Head injuries
• A suspected stroke or heart attack
• Severe breathing difficulties
• A deep wound, such as a stab wound

The Emergency Department and 999 are for life-threatening emergencies only. You should travel to the Emergency Department if you can. However, if someone is too ill, call 999 for an ambulance.

When you arrive at Southmead Emergency Department you will see the Triage Nurse, usually within 15 minutes of arrival.  The triage nurse will assess you to ensure you are at no immediate clinical risk.  Patients will be prioritised depending on how unwell they are.

After you have been triaged you will be seen by either a:

• Physiotherapy Practitioner
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner
• Doctor – depending on your condition.

If the Triage nurse feels you need closer observation you will be transferred to our monitored area – the Emergency Department Observation Unit (EDOU).  

Our Physiotherapy Practitioners help restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. They are able to request X-rays, assess, examine and treat traumatic/acute injuries such as minor head, neck or back injuries, limb injuries, broken bones (fractures), dislocations, grazes, wounds and minor burns.
Emergency Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Nurse Practitioners can see, examine, treat and discharge patients with minor injuries and minor illnesses. They can also request investigations, such as X-rays.

Occasionally on weekends and evenings the Triage Nurse will refer you to the BrisDoc Out of Hours (OOH) GP service. If after assessment you are fit to be seen by an out of hours GP, you will be given an OOH appointment card and will be directed to the OOH GP at the Greenway Centre, Knowle West Health Park or Cossham Hospital. For more information on BrisDoc Out of Hours (OOH) GP service visit http://brisdoc.co.uk       

There is also a Minor Injury Unit based inside the Southmead Emergency Department which can treat both children and adults, meaning you may be directed there for treatment. 

Opening hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Location: Gate 35, Level 0, Brunel building, Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS10 5NB.
Southmead Emergency Department has a dedicated car park accessible from Dorian Way, which works via automatic number plate recognition. Payment by credit card, notes or coins is required before you exit the car park.

Contact: Emergency Department, Gate 35 0117 4145100 or 0117 4145101

In a life-threatening emergency go to the Emergency Department or call 999.

The HM Treasury and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) are committed to openness and transparency and below are the monthly listings of NBT's expenditure over £25,000.

The listings show the suppliers we work with. If we have an invoice that's over £25,000 and the cost has been split across a number of teams, these are listed as separate entries and the value is likely to be below £25,000.

This publication is in line with HM Government’s commitment to transparency in public sector expenditure, more details are available on the Data Gov website. 

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