Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit

Head and Neck Cancer Information for Referrers


Our Services   |   Research   |   How to refer   |   News   |   The Consultant Staff   |   Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists

Our Services

We will see the following conditions at the head and neck clinic:

  • Mouth ulcers, lumps, and all lesions suspicious of carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx
  • Salivary gland swellings, including parotid lumps and submandibular swellings
  • Neck lumps
  • Metastatic skin cancers
  • Paranasal sinus tumours

Research

Since 1995 the unit has had dedicated head & neck research fellows producing 9 Doctorates and over 50 peer review journal articles. This research has kept the unit at the forefront in head & neck cancer care and has continued to improved survival and functional outcome over the years. Currently the unit is actively researching sentinel node biopsy in head & neck malignancies, tissue engineering and the role of viruses in carcinogenesis of the upper aerodigestive tract.

How to refer

All new referrals are treated as urgent and will be seen at the next head and neck clinic, which is held every Monday morning. A rapid access referral system is also in operation during normal working hours (Mon-Fri 8-5) for patients who need to be seen sooner.

All General Medical Practitioners, General Dental Practitioners and hospital consultants in the West of Scotland may refer directly to the head and neck clinic. We accept referrals in the following way:

  • TELEPHONE
    Consultants' offices:
    0141 211 5776 / 5646  or  0141 232 0836
    Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists
    0141 211 5889
     
  • FAX
    0141-211 5859
     
  • LETTER
    Mr Taimur Shoaib or Mr Stephen Morley
    Consultant Plastic Surgeon
    Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit
    Jubilee Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary
    84 Castle Street, Glasgow. G4 0SF

News

The Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit is pleased to announce the redesigned head and neck service.

Our head and neck clinic is a consultant delivered service aimed at being a one stop diagnostic facility for head & neck cancers. The clinic runs weekly and comprises the following clinical staff:

  • · Consultant Head & Neck Plastic Surgeons
    · Consultant Clinical Oncologist
    · Consultant in Palliative Care
    · Speech & Language Therapist
    · Dietician
    · Two Head & Neck Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists
    · Experienced out-patient and ward nurses
    · Training grades from all disciplines

The following services are available at the clinic:

  • · Initial consultation
    · Same day fine needle aspiration of neck lumps
    · Same day biopsy of suspicious lesions
    · Ultrasound guided biopsy
    · Access to dedicated slots for imaging of new cases CT / MRI / Ultrasound
    · Access to theatre within 3 days for diagnostic procedures

All newly diagnosed cases of head and neck cancer are discussed at a weekly Multidisciplinary Team meeting held immediately before the clinic. This is attended by ENT surgeons, Maxillofacial surgeons, Pathologists and a Head & Neck Radiologist in addition to the head and neck clinic staff.

For most patients this means that one week after their initial clinic visit they have a return appointment where the diagnosis and treatment plan are discussed.

 

The Consultant Staff

 

Taimur Shoaib MB ChB DMI(RCSEd) MD FRCSEd(Plast) 
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Taimur Shoaib qualified from Glasgow University in 1992. He undertook an MD research degree in head and neck cancer surgery and completed a head and neck fellowship in Oxford, working with Plastic surgeons, ENT surgeons and Maxillofacial surgeons. With his interest in skin cancer, he co-authored the SIGN melanoma guideline.

 

Stephen Morley MB ChB MD FRCS(Plast)
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Stephen Morley graduated from Edinburgh University in 1993. After pursuing a two year research project in novel therapies for head and neck cancer in Glasgow, he completed higher training in plastic surgery in Manchester and Glasgow, including specialist head and neck surgery training at the Canniesburn plastic surgery unit.

 

Jim Adam FRCR FRCP(Glas)
Consultant in Palliative Care
Jim Adam graduated from Aberdeen in 1974. A period of general medical training preceded training and accreditation in Clinical Oncology in Glasgow before specialising in Palliative Medicine. Appointed Consultant in Palliative Medicine (1985) his interests include guideline development, head and neck cancer, symptom control and patient/carer feedback.

 

Gerry Robertson MB ChB PhD FRCR FRCP
Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Gerry Robertson graduated from Glasgow University and trained in clinical oncology in the West of Scotland and in the Chrisite Hospital in Manchester. He was appointed a consultant in 1982 and has gone on to develop special interests in head and neck cancer and cutaneous malignancies.

 

Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists
 


T. Jackson


A. M. Brown

Tracey Jackson and Anne Marie Brown

Macmillan Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialists

Tracey Jackson and Anne Marie Brown are the Macmillan Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialists at Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

We have wide experience in caring for patients who have had tumours in the Head and Neck area.

Our role is to provide support and information to patients who are undergoing treatment for Head and Neck tumours.This service is available to patients, relatives and carers from diagnosis, throughout treatment, surgery and for ongoing support.

We attend the Combined Clinic on Monday mornings with other members of the multidisciplinary team. We also run a Support Clinic on Tuesday afternoons where longer appointments are available to discuss surgery and for treatment reviews. We provide long term follow up to ensure you have all the help and support you need to enjoy a good quality of life after treatment.

Referrals can also be made to other services, such as Speech and Language Therapy, Dietetics, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Palliative Care, District Nurses and other Community Services.

We can put you in contact with other support groups or organisations, such as Changing Faces, Cancer Bacup, Let’s Face It and many others.

Health promotion information or education can also be provided, such as mouth care, stopping smoking, alcohol and dietary advice.