We’re shining the spotlight on four more winning teams who have been honoured in the Greater Manchester Cancer Awards.
Our awards pay tribute to some of the important work being done by doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and researchers in Greater Manchester to improve lives and treatments for people affected by cancer.
Claire O’Rourke Managing Director of GM Cancer
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “It’s great to see some of the progress being made right here in our city-region. If you look around Greater Manchester, there are some amazing people doing amazing things to support people with cancer, but also to treat people with cancer. That’s why it’s important that we celebrate everything that is being done with the Greater Manchester Cancer Awards, organised by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance.”
Dr Julie Wray, a patient and member of Grater Manchester Cancer Alliance’s User Involvement Network, helped to judge the awards, said: “I found reading the entries heart-warming and comforting in that so many healthcare staff are deeply passionate to improving cancer care in Greater Manchester.
Research Award
Testing womb cancer for Lynch syndrome: How Manchester-led research changed UK clinical practice
Research Award Winners (from left to right) Jessie Cao, Vanitha Sivalingam, Jen Davies-Oliveira, Emma Crosbie, Helena O’Flynn, Suzanne Carter, Eleanor Jones
Pioneering research from The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), supported by the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), identified a link between womb cancer and Lynch syndrome, changing clinical practice across the UK.
Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that can significantly increase the risk of developing cancer. It affects around 1 in 300 people, with most unaware that they have it. This condition runs in families and means anyone with the faulty gene carries a high risk of developing womb, bowel and other cancers.
Through unselected and comprehensive testing all womb cancer patients attending MFT between 2016-18, the team showed that 3% had Lynch syndrome and defined the best strategy for identifying them.
Professor Emma Crosbie, Professor of Gynaecological Oncology at The University of Manchester and Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist at MFT, said: “We found that women want to be tested for Lynch syndrome and a universal testing strategy is cost effective for the NHS.
“We alerted the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), who commissioned an expert advisory group to assess the evidence. This culminated in guidance that recommends testing all womb cancer patients for Lynch syndrome. This guideline has changed clinical practice across the UK.
“It’s fantastic to see our work recognised for this award.”
If women with womb cancer test positive for Lynch syndrome, they will be routinely monitored for early signs of bowel and other cancers and offered preventative treatments to reduce their risk of future cancers. Family members will also be tested and offered similar care and treatment if found to carry the syndrome.
Head judge Miss Susannah Penney, Associate Medical Director at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “We liked how the team engaged with and co-developed the project with patients, and how they ensured the voice of women with womb cancer was heard throughout the project.”
Greater Manchester Collaboration Award
Primary Care Network Collaboration in Greater Manchester by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and Greater Manchester Primary Care Networks
Greater Manchester Collaboration Award winners (from left to right) Paul Keeling, Andy Burnham (presenting the award), Brian Stott (patient judge – presenting the award), Sarah Taylor, James Weems and Dr Adil Khan
Cancer Alliances have been asked to work with Primary Care Networks in their area to help enhance early cancer diagnosis.
Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance’s Early Diagnosis team has developed strong working relationships with colleagues in the 10 Greater Manchester localities of Manchester, Oldham, Bolton, Bury, Wigan, Stockport, Trafford, Salford, Heywood, Rochdale and Middleton and Tameside and Glossop with primary care providers. This includes via the Greater Manchester Primary Care Board and Primary Care Cell. In 2021-22 we established the Primary Care Network Cancer Lead roles. All 66 Primary Care Networks now have a named Cancer Lead who work with us to:
- identify ways in which the early identification of cancer can be improve and projects required to support this
- encourage reflective practice and identify areas where the Cancer Alliance can provide support
- focus on celebrating and sharing good practice
- design and deliver targeted education and support where it is needed
- develop a ‘community of practice’ for early diagnosis of cancer
Alison Jones, Director of Cancer Commissioning and Early Diagnosis at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “This work has shown true collaboration across those working in cancer across primary care in Greater Manchester to help improve outcomes for patients.”
Head judge Miss Susannah Penney, Associate Medical Director at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “This was a clear winner because it has Greater Manchester wide impact, clear evidence of benefit to patients and is reducing inequalities by working across all the recently introduced Primary Care Networks and works across all cancer types.”
Patients’ Choice Award
The One Stop Lung Cancer Clinic
Patients’ Choice Award winners: Prehab4Cancer and the One Stop Lung Cancer Clinic: Backrow: 1. Amanda Connors (Team Leader – The Being You Centre, St Ann’s Hospice) 2. Karen Peplow (Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist) 3. Kathryn Banfill (Clinical Oncology Consultant) 4. Julie Watts (Lung Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist) 5. Julie Wray (Judge) 6. Brian Stott (Judge) 7. Cassandra Ng (Consultant Geriatrician) 8. Sarah Jane Hurst (P4C exercise specialist) 9. Kirsty Rowlinson-Groves (P4C Programme Manager) 10. Zoe Merchant Front row. 1. Dr Matt Evison 2. Jon Keating (GM Active) 3. Rob Mentha (P4C Exercise Specialist) 4. Jack Murphy (P4C Exercise Specialist)
The One Stop Lung Cancer Clinic is a new initiative, launched by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance in June 2022, at Wythenshawe Hospital. The clinic is for patients diagnosed with lung cancer where a treatment to cure the cancer should be possible with either surgery or radiotherapy, but when it is not clear what the best option is. Before the launch of the clinic, patients may have needed to attend multiple appointments across different hospital trusts to reach a decision about which was their best treatment. The One Stop Lung Cancer Clinic has improved patient experience and speeded up the start of treatment for concerned patients. It provides a multi-disciplinary approach to shared decision making and the opportunity for patients to meet with different treatment specialists including oncologists, surgeons, physicians, anaesthetists, oncogeriatricians and cancer nurse specialists to make the treatment decision that is best for them, on the day of clinic where possible. The initiative is a partnership between Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Matt Evison, Lead Clinician for Lung Cancer at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: “By introducing this clinic, we have shown that the average waiting time from being referred to treatment to making a decision about which treatment is best has come down from 35 days to 7 days. It’s been a really significant improvement in the patient pathway.
“It’s very special to win the Patients’ Choice Award as it is judged by the very people we serve. This initiative shows cross-organisational collaboration led by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance to support decision making in complex lung cancer care.”
Patients’ Choice Award Winner – Prehab4Cancer
GM Cancer and GM Active
Prehab4Cancer is the first UK prehabilitation and recovery programme for cancer patients delivered by an Integrated Care System . In a partnership organised by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance and GM Active, (which represents the 12 leisure and community organisations in Greater Manchester) cancer patients access a prehabilitation and recovery programme in leisure centres close to where they live. The programme supports participants to take part in exercise, nutrition, and wellbeing assessments and interventions before, during and after their cancer treatment.
Since its inception in 2019, Prehab4Cancer has supported over 3,000 people by preparing them for the physiological and psychological challenges of cancer treatments. Patients who have taken part in Prehab4Cancer have been shown to have improvements in their physiological function, nutritional status and mental wellbeing. This has resulted in shortened recovery time, reduced peri-operative complications and better survival. Patients are empowered to take an active role in their cancer care. This has led to them having a better experience of their cancer pathway. The programme is currently available for people diagnosed with colorectal, lung or oesophago-gastric cancers, who are offered specific treatment pathways.
Zoe Merchant, Allied Health Professional (AHP) Lead, said: “We were delighted to win this award – voted for by patients. As most cancer patients know, treatment is essentially done to you during the treatment phase and causes a great deal of distress. Prehab4Cancer allows cancer patients to take back some control of their cancer journey, by getting fitter, stronger and feeling better prepared. The feedback from patients who have attended Prehab4Cancer has been unbelievable in terms of the difference it has made to their physical and mental health.”
