Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Adults

Professor Ros Quinlivan is Professor of Neuromuscular Disease at Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Consultant Neurologist at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She leads the transition service for adolescents and young adults with neuromuscular disease at GOSH and Queen Square and is clinical lead for the nationally commissioned service for McArdle disease and related disorders. She is joint co-ordinating editor for the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group.

Ros became lead of the Centre of Excellence programme in 2024, having led similar previous initiatives in neuro-muscular diseases, including the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy “North Star Network” Initiative. She provides independent oversight of the programme, chairing committee discussions and providing her expertise from other disease areas to inform the expert committee’s decision-making.

Dr Caroline Barry is Consultant in Palliative Care, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the supportive, palliative and end-of-life care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Dr Mayen Briggs is a Clinical Consultant at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, affiliated with Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the neuropathology standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Reena. 

Professor Emerita of Neuromuscular Genetics at the University of Newcastle, as TJBCM’s Vice Chair, Katie’s role is to inform the long-term strategic direction of the organisation. She joined the TJBCM following her early retirement and the death of her husband, Professor Jimmy Steele CBE, from a glioblastoma in 2018. She oversaw the launch of the TJBCM’s first two programmes, the Centre of Excellence and the Academy, using insights from her long career as an international leader in rare diseases policy. Her previous roles have included Vice Chair of the European Union Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases 2010-2013 and the founding co-ordinator of the neuromuscular European Reference Network EURO-NMD.

Having led the Centre of Excellence process from 2020 to 2024, she remains on the committee and focuses on the long-term strategic direction of the work.

Dr Carly Butler is Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist at King’s College Hospital. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the clinical psychology and neuropsychology care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Professor Richard Gilbertson is Chair of the TJBCM. A paediatric neuro-oncologist by training, he is currently Li Ka Shing Chair of Oncology and Master of Gonville and Caius College at the University of Cambridge, as well as the former director of the CRUK Cambridge Institute. He provides research expertise on the committee, as well as informing the overall strategic direction in his role as TJBCM Chair.

Professor C Oliver Hanemann is Chair of Clinical Neurobiology, Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry and Consultant Neurologist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. He sits on the committee to provide expertise on the neurology standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Dr Sarah Jeffries is the Programme Lead of Tessa Jowell Fellows and sits on the committee to provide expertise on the training and continuing professional development standards centres must meet to become a Centre of Excellence. She is a Clinical Oncologist and currently serves as Deputy Medical Director (Infection Control and Safeguarding) at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Catharine James is Neuro-Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at Royal Stoke University Hospital, University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the nurse-led care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Jill and Charlotte.

Shona Floyd is Healthcare Engagement Manager at The Brain Tumour Charity. She sits on the committee to provide patient feedback collected through The Charity’s Improving Brain Tumour Care surveys, as well as her expertise as a patient representative and former oncology nurse.

Professor Michael Jenkinson, Professor of Neurosurgery RCSEng / Sir John Fisher Foundation Chair of Surgical Trials, Hon Consultant Neurosurgeon University of Liverpool & The Walton Centre NHS Trust. He sits on the committee to provide expertise on the neurosurgery standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Professor Kathreena Kurian is Professor in Neuropathology and Honorary Consultant Neuropathologist, University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the neuropathology standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Mayen. 

Dr Joanne Lewis is Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the chemo- and radiotherapy standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Sara Melhuish is Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (Oncology) at Barts Health NHS Trust. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the rehabilitation and AHP-led care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Nic.

Jess Mills is the daughter of Dame Tessa Jowell and Special Advisor to the TJBCM as well as CEO of the Tessa Jowell Foundation. She sits on the committee to provide the patient perspective, following the loss of her mother to a glioblastoma.

Dr Debi Oliver sits on the committee to provide the patient perspective, following the loss of her daughter from a brain tumour, and her 0wn personal experience of cancer. 

Nicola Peat is Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist at Guys & St Thomas’s Hospitals. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the rehabilitation and AHP-led care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Sara.

Jill Sokratous is Neuro-Oncology Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the nurse-led care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Catharine and Charlotte.

Charlotte Robinson is Low-Grade Tumour Clinical Nurse Specialist at King’s College Hospital, London. She sits on the committee to provide expertise on the nurse-led care standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence, alongside Catharine and Jill.

Professor Adam Waldman is Professor of Neuroradiology at the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh and Consultant Neuroradiologist at Edinburgh Cancer Centre, NHS Lothian. He sits on the committee to provide expertise on the neuroradiology standards centres should meet to become a Centre of Excellence.

Camille supports the smooth running of the Centre of Excellence programme, working with the committee and the rest of the TJBCM team to ensure a smooth and fair process.

As COO, Camille is responsible for the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the TJBCM. Camille joined the Mission in Sept 2020 as Senior Analyst to support the Centre of Excellence designation initiative. She is now one of TJBCM’s two company directors.

Camille started her career working in addictions research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences. For five years, she worked in NHS addiction treatment services, running clinical trials to test novel psychosocial interventions for cocaine use disorders. After leaving academia, she joined Impact Hub King’s Cross running business development programmes for social enterprises, helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses with a purpose.

Nicky is responsible for the strategic direction of the programme, working with the committee and the rest of the TJBCM team to ensure a fair and robust assessment process, and crucially that the insights generated are used for maximum patient impact.

As Mission CEO, Nicky is responsible for the company’s strategic direction, designing new programmes and overseeing the mission’s existing programme portfolio, seeking new funding and ensuring the overall successful management of the company.

Nicky joined the Mission at its inception in 2018 as Programme Manager when Oliver Wyman provided pro-bono support. During this three-month engagement Nicky was immediately taken by the aspirations and purpose of the Mission. Enjoying the work and feeling she was able to materially contribute, she amicably resigned her role at Oliver Wyman to join the Mission full-time as its first employee. Under her leadership the Mission has successfully launched several national programmes, expanded its team and transitioned into a Community Interest Company.

Prior to joining the Mission, Nicky worked as a management consultant, delivering projects in Oliver Wyman’s financial services and public policy practice. She holds a PhD in Physiology from the University of Oxford.

Nicky joined the Mission at its inception in 2018 as Programme Manager when Oliver Wyman provided pro-bono support. During this three-month engagement Nicky was immediately taken by the aspirations and purpose of the Mission. Enjoying the work and feeling she was able to materially contribute, she amicably resigned her role at Oliver Wyman to join the Mission full-time as its first employee. Under her leadership the Mission has successfully launched several national programmes, expanded its team and transitioned into a Community Interest Company.

Prior to joining the Mission, Nicky worked as a management consultant, delivering projects in Oliver Wyman’s financial services and public policy practice. She holds a PhD in Physiology from the University of Oxford.

As Senior Programme and Policy Manager, Andy is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Mission’s longest running programme, the Centre of Excellence for Adults . His responsibilities include running the national assessment process and providing ongoing support to hospitals to further develop their services. He also works with Nicky to drive forward the Mission’s policy activity, using learnings from the Centre of Excellence programmes to design policy solutions.

Andy previously worked as Research Associate for TJBCM during his MSc, where he was involved in analysing the data collected in the 2020-2022 Centre of Excellence programme. Prior to returning to the team full time, Andy worked in health policy consulting, where he worked with public and private sector clients in a variety of different diseases. Andy holds an MSc in Global Health, Social Justice and Public Policy from King’s College London, where he focussed on rare diseases policy, and a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, where he focussed on neuroscience.