3.6.3 Communication with the patient
The lead clinician should:
- establish if the woman has a regular or preferred general practitioner
- discuss a timeframe for diagnosis and treatment with the woman and her carer
- discuss issues regarding fertility and early menopause
- discuss the benefits of multidisciplinary care and make her aware that her health information will be available to the team for discussion at the multidisciplinary team meeting
- offer individualised cervical cancer information that meets the needs of the woman and her carer (this may involve advice from health professionals as well as written and visual resources)
- offer advice on how to access information and support from websites and community and national cancer services and support groups (for example, Cancer Council)
- use a professionally trained interpreter when communicating with women from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds (NICE 2004)
- if the woman is a smoker, provide information about smoking cessation.