The colorectal cancer multidisciplinary team and the interlinked role of the clinical nurse specialist

In order to continue to treat patients with colorectal cancer it is an official requirement (Peer Review Standard) that all cases are managed by a designated multidisciplinary team (MDT) which must meet regularly, usually weekly, to discuss them. This team must have written policies, it must keep records, and it must download them annually into the National Bowel Cancer Database (NBOCAP). There must be clinical nurse specialist input. This article summarizes best practice in all of these areas.