Publications

Read the Fellowship Impact Report online here.
Download the Fellowship Impact Report (PDF) here.

This report showcases the impact of Scotland’s first Tessa Jowell Neuro-oncology Fellowship, demonstrating what is possible when talented trainees are given the time, training, and networks to truly make a difference — for patients and for their own development as future clinical academic leaders.

Over the past year, the Fellowship has supported significant progress across Scotland. Through the work of the inaugural Fellow, Dr Sarah Kingdon, specialist care has been delivered to over 700 patients across multiple NHS centres and access to clinical trials for glioblastoma patients has expanded. Alongside clinical and research achievements, Dr Kingdon’s Fellowship has contributed to shaping national policy and practice, with leadership in UK-wide working groups to elevate care for all patients.

This Fellowship was made possible through our generous funders and partners: Beatson Cancer Charity, NHS Lothian Charity, and the Chief Scientist Office, the clinical and academic teams at NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and brainstrust for their continued PPIE partnership.

Impact report

Read the Impact Report online here.
Download the Impact Report (PDF) here.

This report highlights the collective impact achieved by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission and its partners over the past year to improve the treatment, care and research of brain cancer across the UK. Working in collaboration with more than 150 healthcare professionals, researchers, charity partners and Government, the Mission continues to drive progress across three key areas: improving care for patients today, strengthening and specialising the NHS workforce, and accelerating research to bring new treatments closer to patients. This report outlines the Mission’s impact in 2024–2025.

• Read the press release. 
• Download the full report here.

The report provides the first comprehensive review of paediatric brain tumour services across the NHS, covering 15 of the 17 UK centres and drawing on data collected in 2023 with input from 30 neuro-oncology experts across the UK. It examines every aspect of the patient pathway, from diagnosis & treatment through to quality-of-life care and provision beyond treatment, alongside research & clinical trials, staff training & wellbeing, and charity collaborations. The breadth and depth of data collected offers an unprecedented national picture of treatment, care and research for children with brain tumours.

The report reveals significant variation in access to services beyond core treatment, including genetic testing, rehabilitation, psychological support and clinical trials—factors that can profoundly affect patient experience and outcomes. While all centres deliver surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to internationally recognised standards, disparities persist in wraparound care and research opportunities. The report sets out a roadmap for levelling up services, ensuring that no child’s care is determined by their postcode, and provides actionable recommendations to drive equity, innovation and excellence across the UK.

Peer reviewed publication

Published on 13th November 2025

• Read our briefing HERE
• Read the full article in Neuro-Oncology Practice HERE
• Read co-lead author Professor Kathreena Kurian’s Op-Ed in the Telegraph HERE.

This UK-wide research presents for the first time a study into the landscape of molecular neuropathology in brain tumours, identifying rapid, but inequitable, uptake across the NHS for patients with a brain tumour.

Drawing on data from 21 UK neuro-oncology centres (covering 84% of the UK population), the peer-reviewed paper identifies major progress in genomic testing but reveals persistent inequities in access and rising turnaround times (TATs). Immediate policy action is needed to ensure sustainable, equitable, and accountable service delivery in line with NHS ambitions for precision medicine.

Peer-reviewed publication

• Read our briefing HERE
• Read the full article on Clinical Oncology HERE

A new study led by clinicians in Sheffield and Manchester and supported by the Tessa Jowell Academy reveals differences in how stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a type of precision radiotherapy, is delivered to patients with a brain tumour. Published in the journal Clinical Oncology, the study highlights differences across the UK in which patients receive treatment, how treatment is delivered and how quickly. The insights, collected from 90% of UK sites delivering SRS, will help drive efforts to standardise care so patients can access the best treatment wherever they live.

Impact report

• Read here.
• Download here.

Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence: Five years of driving service improvement in adult NHS brain tumour care

“This programme shows the NHS at its very best, highlighting teams across the country that are working tirelessly to improve their services and deliver excellent brain tumour care” – Lord Darzi, author of the 2024 NHS England review.

We are thrilled to publish our impact report for the first five years of the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence programme – a national programme of benchmarking and data collection in NHS brain tumour care.

The impact report documents how since 2020 the entire brain tumour community has come together to deliver Dame Tessa Jowell’s legacy of more equitable brain tumour treatment, care and research.

Since 2020, we have worked with the clinical and research community, patients and charities to:

1. Build the largest dataset on UK neuro-oncology in the history of the NHS, with data from 28/30 NHS centres, 6k+ individual data points and feedback from 3k+ patients through the Brain Tumour Charity
2. Support meaningful local developments to NHS services: Through targeted 1-on-1 centre support, the Centre of Excellence programme has empowered 19+ hospitals to make meaningful developments such as appointment of new clinical positions, re-organised services, and streamlined pathways
3. Empower national progress in care, treatment and research: working with charity partners, NHS leadership and clinical teams to tackle challenges affecting all UK centres, from genomic testing to nursing and rehabilitation.
   Convene a community of experts tackling key challenges: Based on data and insights collected, the Mission has built a networking and training platform, the Tessa Jowell Academy, with almost 1.5k members and 22 national networks and working groups.

This work would not be possible without the hard work of NHS teams who completed the application forms, the team at The Brain Tumour Charity for facilitating patient feedback, and the support of all of our funders and partners.

Peer reviewed publication

• Read our briefing HERE
• Read the full article on Clinical Oncology HERE

One in ten neuro-oncologists currently works without a neuro-oncology colleague in their hospital, also known as single-handed neuro-oncology practice. Published in the scientific journal Clinical Oncology, a new national study for the first time looks at the impact of single-handed practice in oncology, focussing on the implications for brain tumour services, patients and their families.

Led by Tessa Jowell Fellow Morag Brothwell (whose Fellowships was funded by the NIHR and the Tessa Jowell Foundation) and facilitated by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, this research show that single-handed neuro-oncology practice remains a widespread and under-addressed issue in the UK. The study, based on 35 in-depth interviews with UK-based neuro-oncologists, highlights how single-handed practice has implications for clinician wellbeing, patient access to care and research, and long-term service resilience.

Impact report

• Read the Fellowship Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Fellowship Impact Report (PDF) HERE

The Tessa Jowell Fellowship Impact report showcases the breadth of activities undertaken by inaugural Fellows Dr Sean Main and Dr Morag Brothwell during their fellowships and highlights their experience of the various fellowship activities.

The Tessa Jowell Fellowship Programme is a training programme for all medical specialties involved in the delivery of treatment, care and research for patients with brain tumours. It aims to create new attractive and rewarding career opportunities for aspiring scientists and clinicians in a challenging disease area, on the cusp of exciting and promising breakthroughs. The Fellowships are the perfect launchpad for emerging talent to build a clinical career dedicated to helping patients with complex needs while also leading on cutting-edge research and innovation.

Impact report

• Read the Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Impact Report (PDF) HERE 

This report details the incredible impact achieved by all who have worked to improve the research and treatment of brain cancer in the last 12 months. It is remarkable how much the Mission and its members have achieved in such a short period of time. This report outlines the Mission’s impact in 2023-24.

Report

• Read the Closing the Gap Report (PDF) HERE 
• Our Briefing HERE

The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) launches a landmark report setting out the future of genomic testing for patients with a brain tumour, based on a consensus from 41 professionals. The report highlights that today, access to genomic testing is inequitable: it is estimated that fewer than 5% of eligible adult patients with a brain tumour are accessing certain tests. Access to genomic testing is crucial to help with trial recruitment and better understand the condition, therefore the TJBCM is launching a call to action to support widespread adoption.

Report

• Read the Rehabilitation Report HERE
• Download the Rehabilitation Report (PDF) HERE

The team at the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission were delighted to collaborate on the Reimagining Rehabilitation in Adults with Brain Tumours report, which was published in March to coincide with Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

Developed in partnership with health communications agency Costello Medical, who provided expert and independent oversight, organisation and analysis for the project, the report sets out a roadmap of actionable and impactful recommendations that aim to improve rehabilitation for patients with brain tumours.

Programme publication

• Download the evidence base (PDF) HERE

Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Adults Evidence Base and Standards of Excellence presents an overview of the full treatment pathway for brain tumours, including what we learnt in the previous Centre of Excellence programme, recent developments and key challenges for the field.

This document also contains our Standards of Excellence against which centres are assessed through the application process for Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Adults.

Programme publication

• Read the Non-confidential summaries of therapies reviewed here

Programme publication

• Read the Evidence Base HERE 
• Download the Evidence Base (PDF) HERE

The evidence base for the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence For Children Programme summarises paediatric brain cancer treatment, care and research in the UK, presenting an overview of today’s landscape, the current challenges and the TJBCM’s ambitions going forward. Over 45 scientists, NHS healthcare professionals, patients, charities and other organisations were interviewed, with their insights substantiated by current scientific literature and treatment guidelines.

The evidence base underpins the Tessa Jowell Standards of Excellence, a criteria of excellence against which applicant centres will be assessed. To be assessed, centres will be asked to complete an application form and undergo an interview with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, describing in depth their patient pathway from diagnosis to end-of-life care.

Report

• Read the Centre of Excellence Designation Report here 

The report presents extensive insights, collected in 2020-2022,  into 28 of the 30 NHS brain cancer centres in the UK.  It highlights significant geographical variation in treatment and care and sets out how to level up services. The report presents the most comprehensive dataset on NHS brain cancer services ever collected, providing the Mission with a unique strategic overview on how to drive change and innovation nationally.

It reveals striking variation in brain cancer services across the UK, with disparities in the design, quality and extent of the treatment and care pathway. In all hospitals reviewed, treatment was delivered according to internationally recognised standards by a motivated team: however there was notable variability in access to genetic testing of tumour samples, involvement in clinical studies and the extent of nurse and allied health-led services. All of which have the potential to impact patient experience and outcomes.

• Read The Mission Led Approach online HERE
• Download The Mission Led Approach (PDF) HERE

Founded in April 2018, the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission was set up to design and deliver a new national strategy to tackle brain tumours following a round-table hosted by the Government. The leadership team of the Brain Cancer Mission has worked with national stakeholders to design and deliver programmes to accelerate research, advance the UK’s trial infrastructure, create NHS training programmes and transform care for today’s patients.

In this paper, our team seeks to share some of the most important lessons learned and describe the challenges encountered throughout our four
and a half year journey. In this time, we have built a reputable process during which the Mission life-cycle evolved through four different phases. We also provide a checklist to help prepare other teams to deliver their objectives effectively in the high-profile environments in which Missions are typically launched.

• Read the Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Impact Report (PDF) HERE

This report details the incredible impact achieved by all who have worked to improve the research and treatment of brain cancer in the last 12 months. It is remarkable how much the Mission and its members have achieved in such a short period of time. This report outlines the Mission’s impact in 2022-23.

• Read the Academy Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Academy Impact Report (PDF) HERE

• Read the Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Impact Report (PDF) HERE

Since the inception of the TJBCM four and a half years ago, we have sought to convene the broad landscape of brain tumour treatment, research and advocacy to deliver transformational programmes. The last 12 months have been the Mission’s most productive and impactful to date and we have incorporated as a Community Interest Company, enabling the Mission to work to the highest possible standards. This report outlines the Mission’s impact in 2021-22.

• Read the Academy Impact Report online HERE
• Download the Academy Impact Report (PDF) HERE

The idea of an Academy to support the work of UK brain tumour centres was conceived by Prof Richard Gilbertson (TJBCM’s Chair), during the planning stages of the Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence programme. Throughout the duration of this programme, we witnessed 28 centres showcasing their brilliant areas of excellence. Centres spoke openly about their challenges and their desire to jointly address these.

Since launching the platform six months ago, we are humbled by the high number of sign-ups (over 650), which is more than double our original aim. We are pleased with the high engagement from our members, driven by active engagement in our workshops, connecting with peers through our dedicated tool and submission of materials to our Resource Library. Ultimately, it is seeing that the platform is making a difference to its members and the care they deliver on a daily basis that makes us happiest. Read through the Academy’s Impact since launching in 2021-22.