For clinicians
This area is intended for clinicians.
The Oxford Bone and Soft Tissue Service is a National Commissioning Group service for Bone Sarcoma, and a regional referral centre for soft tissue sarcoma.
We are IOG (Improving Outcomes Guidance for Sarcoma) compliant.
Diagnostic services
We operate a one-stop multidisciplinary clinic for radiology and biopsy for both bone and soft tissue sarcoma. This is held at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre on a Monday concurrent with the MDT meetings.
Musculoskeletal radiology is based at the NOC, with thoracic, abdominal and PET imaging at the Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre. We have dedicated bone and soft tissue sarcoma pathologists and on site specialist pathology service and molecular diagnostics.
Referrals
Please see referrals.
Patient follow-up
Post-surgical follow-up is provided at the NOC, but can be dovetailed with a base hospital if the patient has far to travel.
MDT members include lead clinicians in referring hospitals; we provide joint follow-up facilities. Post-oncological follow-up is provided at the Oxford Cancer and Haematology Centre for some cases.
Outcomes and governance
Oxford Sarcoma Service has a prospective database of diagnostic, surgical and oncological HTA-approved tissue collection in the Oxford University Hospitals.
Outcome data is being assimilated. Governance and mortality and morbidity meetings are held once per month. MDT based audit meetings are held in conjunction with the relevant specialty.
Communication
Referring clinicians should provide phone numbers (including mobile and secretary), email and fax details. Dictated letters take up to two weeks to be received, and can lead to delays in patient management.
Each patient will be allocated a senior clinician and a deputy, who will co-ordinate their management. The referring team should ensure that communication is via the named clinician.
A list of link clinicians in referring centres is provided, and may be used to streamline referral routes and advice if appropriate.