With 12,000 people diagnosed with a brain tumour every year in the UK, there has never been a more important time to recognise the efforts of NHS staff committed to developing and improving brain tumour treatment and care.
The initiative is part of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) to ensure every patient has access to excellent care, no matter where they live. With the addition of these six new centres, there are now 17 centres of excellence across the UK.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is leading the way in genetic testing, with patients with the most aggressive and fatal form of brain tumour, called glioblastoma, being offered a more detailed diagnosis and tailored treatment plan through rapid whole genome sequencing.
This pilot programme is the first of its kind in the UK and is a partnership between CUH, the Minderoo Foundation, the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, NHS East Genomics Laboratory Hub, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre at the University of Cambridge and Illumina. For more information click here
Stephen Price, consultant Neurosurgeon at CUH and clinician scientist at the University of Cambridge, said:
“We are delighted to be designated as a Tessa Jowell centre of excellence as it means that brain tumour patients can be confident they are receiving the highest level of NHS care and have access to the most up to date treatments. The designation acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our research and clinical teams to deliver the best possible care for patients. As a centre of excellence we will have new funding opportunities for research to better understand and treat brain tumours.”
Jess Mills, Tessa Jowell’s daughter and TJBCM’s Special Adviser said:
“We are one step closer to achieving this incredible ambition of excellence for all. The reason we are moving forward at this fast pace is due to the combined efforts and commitment of the doctors, nurses and support staff in each of the hospitals.”
Nicola Day, clinical specialist physiotherapist in oncological rehabilitation and exercise at CUH, contributed to the submission and said:
“Becoming a centre of excellence recognises the contribution of all members of the multidisciplinary team in providing the best possible care for our patients diagnosed with a brain tumour across the East of England. I’m delighted that our rehabilitation services have been particularly commended, which is credit to our in-patient teams alongside the success of our Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) funded outpatient rehabilitation programme, developed for patients undergoing cancer treatment at the hospital.”
The East of England service was recognised for its commitment to equality of access for patients across the region, with CUH, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Ipswich Hospital teams working closely together to ensure excellence in treatment and care for all patients no matter where in the region they lived.
All six centres will continue to share their expertise with staff in other centres through the Tessa Jowell Academy, the Mission’s national learning and networking platform. This will ensure that multidisciplinary teams continue to connect with peer centres across the country and learn from each other’s excellence to support service improvement nationally.
It is hoped that for the 88,000 British people currently living with a brain tumour, the excellence status provides reassurance about the availability of excellent care and commitment to improvement in the NHS across the UK.
The list of centres who obtained excellence status this year include:
The East of England service: Cambridge University Hospitals, Norfolk Norwich University Hospital and Ipswich Hospital.
Oxford University Hospitals
The Bristol Network: North Bristol NHS Trust, United Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Cardiff Neuro-oncology centre: Velindre Cancer Centre and University Hospital Wales.
