Neuro-Oncology Department
The Walton Centre Neuro-Oncology Team provides a dedicated brain tumour service for patients diagnosed with brain and central nervous system tumours.
A multidisciplinary team including neurosurgeons, oncologists, clinical nurse specialists and allied health professionals specialise in treating all types of brain tumours. The team is passionate about improving outcomes for patients with brain tumours and their loved ones.
We are proud to be a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence, alongside our partners at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre, highlighting the trusts’ outstanding patient care and expertise in brain tumour treatment and research.
The brain tumour service at The Walton Centre treats over 500 new patients per year treating all types of brain tumours, including:
- Gliomas
- Glioblastoma (Grade 4)
- Anaplastic astrocytoma (Grade 3)
- Low grade glioma (Grade 2)
- Pilocytic astrocytoma (Grade 1)
- Oligodendroglioma
- Ependymoma
- Mixed glioma
- Meningioma
- Pineal region tumour
- Brain metastases
- Primary central nervous system lymphoma
- Haemangioblastoma
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT)
The neuro-oncology MDT meeting takes place weekly on a Thursday afternoon. This is where we discuss your case with oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists who come together and plan your care.
Surgery
Surgery is discussed on an individual basis and surgical options will be made available to you at your outpatient appointment.
The Walton Centre is also one of three providers nationally with intra-operative MRI, which improves patient outcomes, reduces the need for repeated surgery and reduces infection risk.
Awake surgery with intra-operative mapping of language, motor and sensory function is also used for selected patients (please see the patient video below for more information on this procedure).
We have a dedicated awake craniotomy team involving anaesthetists, surgeons, speech and language therapists and clinical nurse specialists to support you during your admission.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
The Walton Centre works collaboratively with dedicated clinical oncologists, haemato-oncologists and clinical nurse specialists from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and the North Wales Cancer Treatment centre. They provide oncology treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy for patients with brain and central nervous system tumours where appropriate.
The neurosurgery team
Each of the seven neurosurgeons who treat brain and central nervous system tumours has a weekly dedicated brain tumour clinic with brain tumour clinical nurse specialist support. Patients who are referred to see a neurosurgeon are encouraged to bring a family member or friend to these appointments. There are also dedicated clinical nurse specialist clinics to provide symptom management, holistic needs assessment and urgent access and support where needed.
Neurosurgeons
- Professor Andrew Brodbelt
- Professor Michael Jenkinson
- Mr Jibril Farah
- Mr David Lawson
- Mr Emmanuel Chavredakis
- Mr Farouk Olubajo
- Mr Rasheed Zakaria
Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Emma Wilby (Lead Cancer Nurse)
- Jessica Gibbons
- Alison Rodway
- Emily Gibson
- Kerri Bell
- Kelly Woods (Support Worker)
Support for patients with brain tumours
The brain tumour clinical nurse specialist team is a dedicated team of nurses who specialise in offering patient centred care to patients and their families from diagnosis and through their journey.
We support patients and loved ones through the physical effects of having a brain tumour but also understand the importance of caring for other needs. We can offer holistic care supporting with emotional, psychological, and social needs.
We are part of a multidisciplinary team providing care during admission and after discharge. A diagnosis of a brain tumour can be a very frightening time for patients and their families.
- The brain tumour clinical nurse specialist’s role includes:
- To be the keyworker for each patient with a brain tumour
- ·To provide emotional, psychological, practical and discharge support
- To facilitate referrals to other health care professionals including:
- Benefits advice and social services referrals
- Community Macmillan and District Nurses
- Epilepsy specialist nurse
- Occupational therapists and physiotherapists
- Counselling services and specialised neurological support services
We also provide an annual ‘Coping Better Together’ education day. This is a full day which provides education by a wealth of expert speakers on a range of brain tumour topics including:
- Diagnosis, treatment and future directions in the management of brain tumours
- Living with a brain tumour – coping strategies
- Epilepsy and brain tumours
- Holistic support
- Fatigue management
Contact us
To contact the brain tumour clinical nurse specialist team:
- Direct line with answer machine service: 0151 556 3778
- Bleep via switchboard (for URGENT enquiries only) 0151 525 3611 bleep 5391.
- Email wcft.braintumournurses@nhs.net
Brain tumour research
The Neuro-Oncology Team work collaboratively with the neuroscience research centre, The University of Liverpool and national organisations to ensure patients have access to international and national clinical trials.
There are a number of clinical trials open to patients at present, these include surgical trials, radiology trials and drug trials to manage symptoms such as seizures.
For more information, please speak to your neurosurgeon or clinical nurse specialist.
Driving and brain tumours
You must not drive if you have any kind of brain tumour (unless we tell you different). You must notify DVLA as soon as possible.
- www.gov.uk/browse/driving/disability-health-condition
- 0300 790 6806
If you live on the Isle of Man you must notify the Department of Infrastructure to tell them
Patient leaflets
Brain tumour clinical nurse specialist team
Discharge guide for patients following brain tumour surgery