Around 23,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bladder cancer each year and the cancer has a high mortality and recurrence rate. While there are effective treatments that can limit recurrence or offer a cure when given in a timely manner, bladder cancer is the only one of the ten most common cancers in the UK where outcomes are not improving. 

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) national report for urology (2018) identified variations in practice and gaps in service provision across the NHS, including bladder cancer services. GIRFT has gone on to develop a pathway and guidance on care for patients with bladder cancer, guidance on decarbonising the bladder cancer care pathway and guidance on transurethral laser ablation (TULA).  

This latest best practice resource, developed in collaboration with the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and the British Association of Urological Nursing (BAUN), aims to identify good practice and offer practical, standardised pathways that can be applied in resource-limited settings, with clear guidance in areas such as diagnostic and treatment practices. 

The guidance features a comprehensive delivery checklist, with a series of recommended actions for each of 15 topics, including best practice in areas such as defining the team, diagnosis, lists for transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) surgery, metastatic bladder cancer and follow-up. 

For example, it highlights that every unit should have a named cancer nurse specialist (CNS) leading within the bladder cancer service, who can oversee the pathway – progressing patients in a timely manner and preventing potential delays, such as identifying where diagnostics can be performed concurrently rather than in sequence. 

The aim is that implementation of the guidance will bring significant benefits, by supporting clinical staff and managers to deliver improved and more efficient care within the NHS, while achieving high-quality clinical outcomes for patients with bladder cancer.