You may be referred to our service by your GP to investigate a suspected colorectal condition. We also receive referrals to our cancer surgeons and pelvic floor service from GPs and hospital consultants from across Greater Manchester and the North West.
Our service also provides emergency general surgery for patients referred as an emergency by GPs or attending A&E.
Our dedicated team of consultants, nurses and health professionals are here to guide you through your treatment, from the first clinic visit to surgery where necessary, and follow-up care.
The team includes Colorectal Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Colorectal Nurse Specialists who support patients through bowel cancer diagnosis and surgery. The team also includes oncologists, radiologists, dieticians, palliative care nurses, allied health professionals, welfare rights officers and social worker/care managers who can help plan discharge from hospital. Our community based Stoma Care Nurses are trained in helping stoma patients to find the right appliance for them.
Services
Cancer Surgery
Our Specialist Colorectal Cancer Surgeons treat around 150 patients with bowel cancer every year. We have the best survival outcome for bowel cancer patients in Greater Manchester as published in the annual National Bowel Cancer Audit.
Our individual surgeon outcome data is available online.
All our surgeons offer key hole (laparoscopic) surgery to all suitable patients and there is a comprehensive enhanced recovery package in place to speed recovery after surgery. We also offer minimal invasive surgery for early rectal cancers. The preoperative work-up includes attendance to ‘Bowel School’ to fully educate patients of what to expect during their hospital stay and how to be an active participant in the recovery process. Our patients are offered ‘holistic needs assessments’ and we are striving to tailor follow up to meet individual patients’ needs.
Pelvic Floor Service
You may be referred to the Pelvic Floor Service from secondary care or directly from general practice. We offer a wide range of specialist medical and surgical treatment to aid bowel incontinence, severe functional constipation and pelvic floor bowel prolapse.
The pelvic Floor team work with other specialities to ensure high quality patient care. We work in a multidisciplinary team with neurogastroenterology, chronic pelvic floor pain team and the radiology department. We meet monthly to discuss complex pelvic floor patients to ensure best practice. All planned specialist surgical procedures are discussed and reviewed in this monthly meeting. Any results from investigations will be used to evaluate patients with severe functional problems.
Investigations
Anorectal physiology: a small balloon is placed in your anal canal to measure the muscle strength at rest and while you are squeezing. It is also used to test the sensation in your back passage.
Ultrasound: a scan probe is placed inside your back passage to see what the muscles look like and pictures are taken. You do not need to take any bowel preparation prior to this test.
Defaecating proctogram: This test is carried out at in the X-ray department located in the green zone. You are required to drink some very dilute barium over about half an hour. This barium drink will allow us to see your small bowel. A small quantity of thick barium paste with also be put into the rectum via a tube whilst you are lying down. You will then be asked to sit on a bedpan and perform a few simple manoeuvres, including passing the barium out into the bedpan, so that we can see how the muscles controlling your bowels work.
If appropriate we offer surgical intervention including offered if suitable are sacral nerve stimulation, operations for prolapse repair, anal bulking injections and stoma.
Emergency General Surgery
You may either be referred into the hospital urgently by your GP or you may present yourself to the Emergency Department with an emergency general surgical condition at any time. If appropriate you will be admitted or reviewed by the emergency surgical team and you will be investigated as to the cause of your symptoms. Some patients may require an emergency operation.
During your stay you will be looked after by a consultant surgeon and his or her team along with nursing staff and health professionals all dedicated to getting you better.
Stoma Care
The Stoma Care Team offer support to stoma patients who are under MFT, Christie Hospital and the wider community of Greater Manchester. The specialist stoma care nurses offer support, advice and counselling to patients of all ages and their families/carers before, during and after surgery both in the hospital and at home. This includes helping patients to find the right appliance for their needs.
Stoma clinics are held at Withington Clinic Hospital every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Appointments can be booked by telephone.
Referrals can be made by telephone or fax – using the contact details below.
Location
Withington Clinic
535 Wilmslow Rd
Withington
M20 4BA
Contact
Tel: 0161 445 5001 (can also be paged via MFT or Christie Hospital switchboard)
Fax: 0161 445 7571
9am-5pm Mon-Fri (except bank holidays)
Recovery Project Package
As a team, we are passionate about constantly improving bowel cancer recovery rates for patients. We are leading the way in the North West for the innovative national ‘Recovery Project Package’, which aims to improve survival rates following cancer treatment. This project is being supported by a grant from MacMillan Cancer Support.
Macmillan Cancer Information Centre
The Macmillan Cancer Information Centre at MFT offers confidential information and support to anyone affected by cancer. Find out more about the centre here. For information, call: 0161 291 4876.
A further Macmillan Centre is based at Trafford General Hospital. Call 0161 276 6868or 0161 276 4901 (text phone) for information.
Research
The Colorectal Service is actively involved in national and local research with help from dedicated research nurses. We are committed to offering our patients the opportunities to be involved in exciting trials in both cancer and benign disease. The department has an active research profile with junior doctors participating in research degrees via the University of Manchester.
Referrals
You may be referred to our service by your GP to investigate a suspected colorectal condition. We also receive referrals to our cancer surgeons and pelvic floor service from GPs and hospital consultants from across Greater Manchester and the North West. Our service also provides emergency general surgery for patients referred as an emergency by GPs or attending A&E.
Contact
If you would like to speak to a member of the team, please contact the Macmillan Colorectal nurse specialists on 0161 291 6174, between 8.30am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
If your enquiry is outside these times, or is urgent, please contact your GP surgery, or NHS 111.