Bristol is one of six UK neuro-oncology centres to be awarded the designation today by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM). The designation will be confirmed by Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Peter Johnson, Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Southampton, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England and Chair of the UK Office for Life Sciences cancer mission, at an event at the Royal Society in London this afternoon [15 October].
The designation of six new Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence for Adults, joining the 14 previously designated, means that two thirds of the UK population is now in the catchment area of a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Adults. This is a major step towards ensuring that adults with a brain tumour receive excellent care irrespective of where they live.
Recognition of excellent brain tumour services
Survival for the most aggressive brain tumours has improved little in recent decades, and they remain the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40 in the UK. The symptom burden, including cognitive, neurological and psychological effects, remains profound. In the absence of a cure, it is essential that every patient can access the highest possible standard of treatment, care and research. This is the purpose of the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence programme, recognising excellent NHS practice and supporting more equitable care.
Bristol was designated as a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence following an expert-led review of the brain cancer treatment, care and research opportunities available to patients. This award recognises the excellent services provided by the centre's multidisciplinary team, as well as the continuous commitment to improving patient outcomes.
The designation follows a rigorous review process which examined multiple areas of the patient pathway in detail, together with patient feedback collected by The Brain Tumour Charity. The programme's panel of neuro-oncology experts particularly commended Bristol for excellence in the:
- An innovative and forward-thinking surgery team, providing outstanding and timely treatment to patients;
- An excellent neuropathology service, with particular strengths in genomics, molecular testing and tissue banking, with a large portfolio of pathology research;
- A comprehensive and well-organised chemotherapy service, supporting clear patient decision-making and symptom management.
- A strong patient-centred approach to assessing needs, with an outstanding nursing team that coordinates care across a large and diverse geographical area.
Nicky Huskens, Chief Executive of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, said: "Congratulations to the team at Bristol. This award is a testament to the hard work of an incredible team working above and beyond to deliver a world-class brain tumour service.
"Designation as a Centre of Excellence means more than just excellent care – it is a commitment to constantly improving, going further and faster for this patient group. We look forward to continued collaboration on our collective vision that every patient with a brain tumour benefits from excellent treatment, care and access to research - whoever they are, wherever they live."
Kathreena Kurian, Professor of Neuropathology, Consultant Neuropathologist at BFT, and Head of the Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University of Bristol, added: "Achieving recognition as a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence is a tremendous honour for Bristol and a tribute to the dedication and collaboration of our multidisciplinary team. Above all, we are grateful to our patients and their families, whose trust, courage and experiences inspire everything we do.
"Together, we are committed to advancing research, improving diagnosis and treatment, and ensuring that adults with brain tumours have access to the best possible care and the latest scientific advances."
Mr Venkat Iyer, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Neuro-Oncology Multidisciplinary Team Chair at the Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT), said: "We are delighted to be recognised by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission as a Centre of Excellence for brain tumours. We take great pride in providing a responsive, compassionate and comprehensive service for adults living with brain tumours across Bristol and the surrounding areas.
"This recognition reflects the passion, dedication, teamwork and kindness of our extended multidisciplinary team, who work tirelessly to ensure that every patient receives the very best care and support throughout their journey. We are incredibly grateful to our whole team, whose commitment to our patients and their families, and willingness to always go the extra mile, makes such a meaningful difference."
Newly announced centres have met or exceeded standards in treatment, care and research above those expected by the NHS
The Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence recognises the best approaches to neuro-oncology around the UK. The programme aims to ensure that every patient with a brain tumour can access the best standard of treatment, care and research the NHS has to offer.
In each centre, the whole team treating brain tumours, from surgeons and nurses through to physiotherapists, palliative care specialists and researchers, came together to undergo a rigorous assessment of their services. Centres awarded were deemed by a panel of experts to meet the high Standards of Excellence in areas including clinical care, quality of life care and access to clinical trials/research. Centre of Excellence designation confirms Bristol's commitment not only to high-quality care today but to continually improving services for adults with a brain tumour in the years ahead.
The six newly designated centres (in bold) join the 14 designated in 2024. These 20 centres are:
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Barts Health NHS Trust
- Bristol and the South West Neuro-Oncology Network (Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol)
- East Midlands Neuro-Oncology Service (Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust)
- East of England Neuro-Oncology Network
- Edinburgh and South East Scotland Neuro-Oncology Network
- Glasgow and West of Scotland Neuro-Oncology Network
- King's Health Partners (King's College Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals and Kent Oncology Centre)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Liverpool and North Wales Neuro-Oncology Network (The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust and the North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre)
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Oxford and the Thames Valley Neuro-Oncology Network (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Great Western Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Milton Keynes General Hospital)
- Plymouth and the Peninsula Neuro-Oncology Network (University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Trust and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust).
- Salford Royal Hospital and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- St George's University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- The South Wales Neuro-Oncology Network (University Hospital of Wales, Velindre Cancer Centre and the South West Wales Cancer Centre)
- University College London Hospital (UCLH) Neuro-Oncology Network (UCLH, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and Mount Vernon Cancer Centre)
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
- West Midlands Neuro-Oncology Network (University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
