Brain Tumours (Primary) and Brain Metastases in Over 16s: Quality Standard

Overview

This specialist Guidelines summary covers statements for the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of any type of primary brain tumour or brain metastases in adults (aged 16 or over). It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

This summary is for use by oncology teams. For information on rationales and quality measures, refer to the original quality standard (QS203) from NICE.

List of Quality Statements

Quality Statement 1: GP Direct Access to Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• GPs have direct access to magnetic resonance imaging for adults with suspected brain tumour.

Quality Statement 2: Named Healthcare Professional

• Adults with brain tumours have a named healthcare professional who coordinates their health and social care support.

Healthcare professionals (such as members of the multidisciplinary team) ensure that adults with any type of brain tumour and their family and carers know how to contact the healthcare professional who coordinates their health and social care support. Healthcare professionals share information with the named healthcare professional to allow them to coordinate care for adults with brain tumours. Named healthcare professionals provide support and information to adults with brain tumours and their family and carers, carry out assessments at key points of care, and make referrals when needed.

Quality Statement 3: 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-guided Resection

• Adults with radiologically enhancing suspected high-grade gliomas that are suitable for resection of all enhancing tumour have 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-guided resection.

Healthcare professionals (such as neurosurgeons) are aware of the local pathways for adults with radiologically enhancing suspected high-grade gliomas that are suitable for resection of all enhancing tumour and ensure that they receive 5-ALA-guided resection from a specialist.

Quality Statement 4: Risk of Late Effects of Treatment

• Adults who finish treatment for brain tumours have an assessment and discussion about their risk of late effects of treatment at their first follow-up appointment.

Healthcare professionals (such as clinical oncologists and therapeutic radiographers) assess adults who finish treatment for brain tumours for the risk of late effects of treatment at their first follow-up appointment and record any risks in their written treatment summary. Healthcare professionals explain and discuss any risk of late effects of treatment with the person and their family and carers (if appropriate). Healthcare professionals refer adults who finish treatment for brain tumours for monitoring of potential late effects of treatment if needed.

Quality Statement 5: Neurological Rehabilitation

• Adults with brain tumours have access to neurological rehabilitation in the community and as an outpatient or inpatient.

Healthcare professionals (such as oncologists, neurosurgeons and keyworkers) are aware of referral pathways to neurological rehabilitation in the community and as an outpatient or inpatient, for adults with brain tumours. Healthcare professionals support adults with brain tumours to access neurological rehabilitation if they need to.