Six NHS brain cancer centres awarded Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status

27 May 2023 | Support, Campaigning and research

Today the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) has announced six further NHS brain tumour centres as recipients of the ‘Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status. This award is a recognition of excellence in treatment, research and care, and is part of TJBCM’s national mission to ensure every patient has access to excellent care, no matter where they live. With today’s awards, there are now 17 Centres of Excellence across the UK. In time, it is the Mission’s aspiration that every brain tumour centre in the UK becomes a Centre of Excellence.

Jess Mills, Tessa Jowell’s daughter and TJBCM’s Special Adviser said of this good news: “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.”

To be considered for this award, centres implemented specific feedback from the Mission and made a range of service improvements over a period of 18 months. Highlights include better access to biobanking, increased nurse staffing, improved provision of care for low-grade tumour patients, new nurse-led clinics, further specialised neurosurgery services, a quicker turnaround of key diagnostic tests and improved access to rehabilitation services.

Brain Tumour Support works very closely with NHS neuro teams to provide the ongoing support which is so vital following a brain tumour diagnosis. As a partner organisation with TJBCM, the charity is therefore particularly excited to share in this news.

Members of Southmead CNS neuro-oncology team visited the BTS offices recently to catch up with some of the team

CEO, Tina Mitchell Skinner said: “We are absolutely delighted to see six more neuro centres receiving the Centre of Excellence status and congratulate them all for the continued work put into gaining this recognition.

We regularly hear expressions of gratitude from patients and families for the care and dedication shown by the NHS neuro teams and we’re proud at Brain Tumour Support to have worked so closely alongside them, particularly in the South West, Midlands and Wales. These latest awards mark another step towards achieving the best possible brain tumour treatment and care for all across the UK, and we are eager to work with all the neuro centres to help achieve and maintain that.”

The full list of newly designated Centres of Excellence comprises:

• The East of England service (Cambridge University Hospitals, Norfolk Norwich 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).

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 to support service improvement nationally.

Read about our work with TJBCM here

Find out more about the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission