MDT Modernisation Report

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) working is the gold standard for cancer care. However, growing demand, increasingly complex patient pathways and continued pressure on specialist clinical capacity mean that MDT working must evolve.

Working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, we have undertaken a review of cancer MDT working, informed by stakeholder engagement, published evidence, existing guidance, and examples of MDT innovation and improvement from across the UK and internationally.

The report identifies opportunities for modernisation:

The right discussion at the right time: ensuring MDT expertise is focused where multidisciplinary discussion adds the greatest value.

No decision about me without me: strengthening patient-centred recommendations, reflecting patient preferences and wider psychosocial factors when developing MDT treatment recommendations.

Putting the ‘T’ back into MDT: strengthening leadership and teamworking across MDTs

Designing technology around MDT needs: enabling a digitally supported MDT model, supporting more effective sharing of information and expertise across services.

We are now focusing on turning these opportunities for modernisation into practical and sustainable action to support lasting change in cancer MDT working across the UK. As part of this next phase, we will develop a practical toolkit of resources, due for publication in spring 2027.