Guidance

This guideline covers how healthcare services for colorectal cancer should be organised. It aims to improve care for people with colorectal cancer by recommending which healthcare professionals should be involved in care.

Recommendations

This guideline recommends that:

  • people who may have colorectal cancer should be offered rapid referral for endoscopy
  • endoscopy should be available for diagnosis
  • people should receive treatment from a multidisciplinary team
  • colorectal teams treating people with rectal cancer should have special training
  • people who need emergency treatment should receive treatment from a colorectal cancer team
  • information and support should be improved

Who is it for?

  • Healthcare professionals
  • Commissioners and providers
  • People with colorectal cancer, their families and carers

Is this guideline up to date?

We checked this guideline in February 2016 and we are updating this guideline as part of the update of the NICE guideline on colorectal cancer. We will then withdraw this service guidance.

Guideline development process

How we develop NICE guidelines