Ear, Nose and Throat

To be referred into the head and neck service, it is usually through your GP to see one of the consultants who will assess what your problem is and investigate to the cause and decide and what treatment is needed. We also get referrals from across Merseyside and Cheshire for any complex issues.

For referral into the clinical nurses specialists can be done with a letter or by calling 0151 529 5256.

We want to make your first visit to see us as easy as possible for you. You will receive a letter from the hospital with an appointment time and information on which hospital you need to attend.

If you need to re-arrange your appointment time, please contact the appointment team, the number is on the letter, this can be arranged for you.

When you arrive for your appointment you will book in on the reception desk, you will be asked to sit down till your name is called.

There are usually a few clinics running at the same time and there can be delays, you may see people going in before you but they will be getting seen by a different person.

When you come into the clinic room you will be asked to sit down, then you will be asked question about your general health and what is your current problem.  You will then be examined in your mouth, neck area and may need a small tube into your nose to check the back of your throat and voice box.

Although this sounds like it may be painful it is just a bit uncomfortable and over in a few minutes.

You will then be told of any investigations that need to be done, scans or examinations and you can ask questions about what they will involve.

The professionals who make up your multidisciplinary team will depend on your type of cancer.

For example, not all cancers can be treated with surgery.

The multidisciplinary team may include:

• A surgeon: your surgeon will have a special interest in your type of cancer
•  A medical oncologist: a specialist doctor who treats cancer with drugs, including chemotherapy
• A clinical oncologist or radiotherapist: a doctor who treats cancer with radiotherapy and may also prescribe chemotherapy
• A pathologist: a specialist doctor who examines body tissues and organs under the microscope
• A radiologist: a specialist in the use of x-rays and other imaging to diagnose and treat disease, with a special interest in your type of cancer
• A specialist nurse: a nurse who provides information and support
• MDT co-ordinator.

The multidisciplinary team meets every Tuesday morning to discuss the best treatment options for each patient in their care, taking into account the results of tests and your general health.

Your doctor will then discuss the different treatment options available to you, considering your own preferences.

You may find it helpful to take a family member or friend with you when your treatment is being discussed.

• Ultrasound scans explained. Please also visit our Ultrasound service page for more information.
• CT scans explained. Please also visit our CT service page for more information.
• MRI scans explained. Please also visit our MRI service page for more information.
• Oral examination
• Neck examination
• Biopsy under local anaesthetic in clinic, or general anaesthetic

• Nasendoscope - a camera inserted through the nose.

Treatment options are dependent on what the medical team have found.

All patients are discussed at an MDT meeting where all the team come together and decide on what they think the best options for treatment for you is.

Surgery is performed here at Aintree site and dependent on what the medical team have found will depend on the type of surgery you need. You will have a chance to discuss this with the medical team, so you are fully informed about what is happening and the intended outcomes of the surgery. You may also need other treatment after the surgery in the form of radiotherapy or chemoradiation – this will be discussed when you see the team on your visit to clinic after your surgery.

Non-surgical treatments are performed at Clatterbridge Liverpool. The decision of treatment will depend on what the medical team think is the best treatment for you. The treatment is usually in the form of radiotherapy or a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The specific treatment, duration and timings will be discussed with you at the time you see the oncologist.

Some other treatments are available, immunotherapy and chemotherapy but they are not delivered as primary treatment, they tend to be when the first treatment has not worked, and we need to see if something else can be used for you.

Once you have finished your treatment you will be seen in a clinic to assess how you are and how the treatment has worked.

The appointments will be in a clinic and will depend on where you live. Most patients come to Aintree University Hospital for their follow-up, but we also have outreach clinics in St Helens, Chester, Arrow Park, Ormskirk and Leighton for certain consultants. Where you are seen is where your doctors’ clinics are, you will be informed of exactly where you need to attend for your follow ups.

The timings of the follow-ups are usually over five years, every two months for the first two years and increasing till you are seen twice in year five.

There are research studies looking at patient follow-up to try and tailor it to suit the patients’ needs, you may be offered to participate in this if your consultant feels appropriate.

All letters from your consultation are sent to your GP to keep him updated, please ensure you keep the hospital up to date with your GP details.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a research active trust, supporting and facilitating new innovative ways of providing healthcare to improve patient experience and outcomes. To find out about current research opportunities or register for future studies, please visit the Head and Neck Research page.