title: Patients' and staff's experiences of multidisciplinary follow-up for high-grade glioma after radical radiotherapy.
abstract: Meeting the complex needs of patients with high-grade glioma requires multidisciplinary input. How best to provide care after initial treatment ends is contentious. This study explored the experiences of patients and staff at one UK centre where regular multidisciplinary clinics and brain scanning is provided. In-depth interviews conducted with 10 patients and six staff were transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Patients reported: supportive, individualised care with familiar staff; good communication; that regular scanning was reassuring. Staff believed that team follow-up facilitated immediate decision-making and referral, and reduced visits. They felt that patients value seeing their scans. Patients and staff described positive and negative experiences of multidisciplinary follow-up. There is need to investigate the impact of different approaches to ongoing care.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research UK, Psychosocial Oncology Group, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. s.l.catt@sussex.ac.uk
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Catt
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Giles R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Critchley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D018787:Radiation Oncology; D011859:Radiography; D006113:United Kingdom