The Liverpool Lung Cancer Unit
The Liverpool Lung Cancer Unit was formed in April 2000 when the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals combined resources to provide a seamless service for patients with suspected lung cancer. The unit is the largest in Merseyside and Cheshire.
The unit pioneered many of the innovations in cancer care that are now embedded in national policy, including coding the reports of suspicious imaging, primary care based “straight to CT” for abnormal chest X-rays, 72-hour urgent CT scans, and remote review patient assessment to prevent unnecessary clinic attendance and speed up the diagnostic pathway.
The unit consists of two distinct arms:
- Inpatient Arm: based at the Liverpool University Hospitals (The Royal) for patients with suspected lung cancer who require inpatient services.
- Outpatient Arm: using the facilities at LHCH to swiftly diagnose and treat patients with lung cancer. This is the only clinic in the network that operates a one stop clinic, carrying out all of the relevant tests in one day (Rapid Access Clinic).
Working between both hospitals the team can co-ordinate all appropriate investigations. If patients in hospital improve enough to be able to go home, any outstanding tests, or results can be delivered quickly through the outpatient clinic. This outpatient clinic can also be accessed directly by your GP or clinic doctor.
These services are facilitated by Consultant Chest Physicians and Lung Cancer Nurse Specialists.
Outpatient investigations are mainly based at the LHCH, where dedicated facilities are used to swiftly diagnose cancer and offer a treatment plan. Patients who present acutely ill initially attend the service at the RLBUHT (now the city arm of the Liverpool University Hospital) where if necessary they are admitted and their acute illness is treated in parallel with timely lung cancer investigation being facilitated.
Multidisciplinary Team Working
All patients who are suspected or diagnosed with lung cancer are discussed at the lung multidisciplinary team meeting ( MDT ). This is where experts in the different ways of investigating/treating lung cancer meet and discuss the best investigation/treatment options for each patient. This meeting occurs each Friday morning at LHCH prior to the patients attending the outpatient clinics that morning.
The Team
- Andrea McIver
- Joanne Dunbar
- Nikki Maddock
- Sophie Mercer
- Louisa O’Riley
- Claire Dowling
- Mr Julius Asante-Siaw
- Mr Richard Page
- Mr Silviu Buderi
- Dr Anthony Pope
- Dr Olusola Faluyi
- Dr Manal Alameddine
- Dr John Gosney
- Dr Thomas Giles
- Dr Helen Bonwick
- Sue Oakes
- Jeanette Renshaw
- Tracey Sweeney
- Tara Hallam
- Sue Sutton
Psychology service is available
Further Information/contact with team:
- Secretarial offices: 0151 600 1468 and 0151 706 3559.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist offices: 0151 600 1182 and 0151 706 2372.
- Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Website
- Macmillan Cancer Support Website