FP5.15 - Who’s in the club? Higher General Surgical Trainees and Trainers perceptions of who and what comprises multidisciplinary team working

Abstract Aim To explore who Higher General Surgical Trainees (HST) and Trainers perceive as being members of Multidisciplinary teams. To explore what HST and Trainers perceive to be a MDT meeting. Methods Following ethical approval, virtual semi structured interviews were conducted with 8 HST and 4 Trainers within one deanery. These interviews were then evaluated using reflexive thematic analysis. Results The majority of those interviewed expressed the dichotomy of the professionals involved in day-to-day care patient compared specific meeting relating to disease processed. While most recognised the former as a definition, when specifically discussing MDT, all referred to meetings. This duality was particularly pertinent in discussion of assessment of MDT as a Capability in Practice (CiP). Junior HSTs self-assessed using day-to day MDT but Senior HSTs and Trainers regarded the meeting as the arena for assessment. Despite participants working in different general surgical specialities with benign components, all perceived cancer MDT meetings to be the ‘true’ or most relevant definition. However, there was a consensus that the definition of MDT is evolving. When elucidating members of cancer MDTs, every participant named all clinical and support staff that routinely attend, but Trainers did not reference their HST. Conclusion Despite an evolution of MDT definition to include benign meetings such a pelvic floor or day-to-day working, there is a persistence among General Surgical Trainers and trainees to interpret MDT as purely cancer meeting. This can cause confusion in assessment of MDT as a CiP.