Funding awarded to the Pelican Cancer Foundation, provided funded places for colorectal MDT members across Wales to attend the OReCO (Optimising Rectal Cancer Outcomes) programme .
Delivered in collaboration with The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, the interactive workshops, which took place in both south and north Wales, focused on management of rectal cancer and aimed to:
- Raise awareness on current optimal management of rectal cancer with a focus on surgical techniques.
- Ensure more consistent processes across all colorectal MDTs to support individual patients’ treatment
- Help all patients have the best treatment, at the best time in the best place
Expert panels with local involvement discussed the patient’s pathway for optimal diagnosis and treatment of rectal cancer. The workshops form part of an Accredited National Education Programme.
Both workshops were delivered by Pelican, Basingstoke Hospital clinicians and led by a range
of local experts in the field of bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The clinical skills of 72 healthcare professionals across Wales have directly benefitted from their involvement in this work and early feedback indicates their intention to implement the learning into the pathway for patients. A wider evaluation will be carried out at the end of the national programme and this will track the longer term impact of this work in Wales.