UHSussex earns prestigious national recognition for delivering some of the highest standards of brain tumour treatment, care and research in the UK.
Patients with brain tumours in Sussex are receiving care recognised as amongst the very best in the UK after University Hospitals Sussex (UHSussex) was awarded prestigious Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status.
The coveted designation is awarded only to UK hospitals that meet the highest standards of NHS brain tumour treatment, care and research, following a rigorous, peer-led review process. UHSussex is one of just six neuro-oncology centres nationwide to receive the accolade earlier this week.
Presented by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission at a ceremony at the Royal Society in London on 14 October, the designation recognises how specialist expertise, research and innovation are being brought together at UHSussex to improve care and outcomes for patients with brain tumours – a strong example of the Trust’s ambition to provide Excellent Care Everywhere.
Advances in brain tumour care gives Sussex patient hope for the future
For Matthew White, 42, from Brighton, the expertise, care and support provided by UHSussex’s brain tumour teams have made a profound difference.
The father of two was diagnosed with an incurable astrocytoma in 2023 after experiencing seizures while playing football. He underwent specialist surgery at the Royal Sussex County Hospital to remove more than 80% of the tumour, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy to help control its growth.
Matthew is hugely grateful for the treatment he has received and welcomes the Trust’s continued improvements to brain tumour services – particularly advances in research and genetics that could help open up new treatment opportunities for patients like him.
Although his tumour remains incurable, Matthew hopes developments in brain tumour research and clinical trials could one day provide access to new treatments that may help prolong his life – giving him more time with his wife and two children.
Matthew said: “I’m so grateful to everyone at Royal Sussex County Hospital for the incredible care I’ve received. Living with an incurable brain tumour is difficult, but knowing that the teams are constantly working to improve services and develop new research and treatment opportunities gives me real hope.
“For people like me, these advances could make a huge difference. My biggest hope is that new treatments become available that could help me live longer and spend more time with my family.”
Pioneering improvements in brain tumour care and research
UHSussex has made significant advances in surgery, genetics, nursing and rehabilitation. One such important development is a new process for collecting and storing tumour samples so that patients’ complete genome (DNA) can be better studied. This helps doctors better understand the genetic changes driving a patient’s cancer and identify treatments that may be more effective for them.
In line with the Trust’s commitment to make research more widely available to patients, it also creates potential future opportunities for Sussex patients to take part in clinical trials of new treatments (that might not otherwise have been available to them).
UHSussex’s Dr Cressida Lorimer MA FRCR MD, Consultant Clinical Oncologist said: “We are delighted to receive this prestigious recognition. It reflects the expertise, compassion and dedication of our multidisciplinary teams, as well as our shared commitment to continually improving care for patients with brain tumours.
“This designation recognises the significant developments we have made across our services and the strength of the partnerships that underpin them. Most importantly, it recognises our commitment to ensuring patients receive the best possible care, support and access to research throughout their treatment journey.”
Nicky Huskens, Chief Executive of the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, said: “Congratulations to the team at Sussex. 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.”
The TJBCM praised UHSussex for the innovative improvements made to its services over the past two years, alongside its strong commitment to patient-centred care. The review team also highlighted the Trust’s collaborative approach, bringing together specialists from across surgery, oncology, speech and language therapy, rehabilitation and other disciplines to deliver meaningful improvements to patient care.
TJBCM’s panel of neuro-oncology experts particularly commended UHSussex for excellence in:
- Imaging: Offering patients a comprehensive neuroradiology service, with excellent waiting and reporting times.
- Neurology: Strong neurology provision supporting patients with a wide range of cognitive and neurological symptoms.
- Clinicians’ comprehensive approach to assessing patient needs – ensuring patient quality of life and feedback guide treatment decisions and are incorporated into future plans for the service.
- The compassionate, wrap-around nurse-led care, available to many different types of patients throughout their journey with us.
Professor Katie Urch, Chief Medical Officer for University Hospitals Sussex said: “This recognition is a fantastic achievement for the Trust and our staff, and a powerful example of our commitment to developing centres of excellence that deliver Excellent Care Everywhere for our patients.
“The advances made by our neuro-oncology teams demonstrate how specialist expertise, underpinned by the hard work, collaboration and compassion of our teams, can deliver the very highest standards of care and make a significant difference to our patients.”
“I am incredibly proud of all of our clinical teams who have made this prestigious designation possible. It is a testament to their dedication and our determination to further strengthen the quality of care for people across Sussex.”
As well as recognising excellent NHS practice, the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence programme also champions better access to excellent care for patients with brain tumours across the UK. This recognition for UHSussex and the five other new designations made across the UK this week means that two thirds of the population now live within the catchment area of a of a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Adults.