NNUH re-accredited as one of 14 Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals has been re-accredited as one of 14 Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence for our brain tumour services as part of the East of England Neuro-Oncology Network, which also includes Cambridge University Hospital and Ipswich Hospital.
The network is one of 14 centres announced last night at an event attended by NHS leaders, MPs and voluntary sector representatives at the prestigious Francis Crick Institute.
The centres were awarded for the excellent treatment, care and research they provide to patients with a brain tumour, following an extensive peer-led review of their services and feedback collected from almost 1500 patients by The Brain Tumour Charity.
Brain tumours affect over 12,000 adults in the UK every year and kill more people under the age of 40 than any other cancer. In the absence of a cure, the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) has committed to ensuring all UK patients with a brain tumour can access the best standard of treatment, care and research, through the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence initiative, described recently by Minister Ashley Dalton as the “main national framework” in UK neuro-oncology.
First launched in 2020, centres newly awarded in 2025 have demonstrated progress in areas such as holistic care, advancements in genomics and access to clinical trials. Experts highlighted many new innovations within services, from the use of Virtual Reality in post-operative recovery and technology to speed up molecular diagnosis, to new models of palliative care. Centres also met new and higher standards in areas such as neurological symptom management and psychological support, informed by key patient priorities and work of charity campaigners. These improvements demonstrate the outstanding commitment of NHS teams to driving innovation and elevating care, in a landscape of stretched resources, backed up by rigorous standards, national data collection and best practice sharing.
In each centre, the whole team treating brain tumours, from surgeons and nurses through to physiotherapists, palliative care specialists and researchers, came together to undergo a rigorous assessment of their services by a committee of clinical, research and patient experts.
NNUH Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Brain Cancer Lead Dr Pinelopi Gkogkou, said: “When I arrived 10 years ago this was a single-handed service. Now I am proud to be part of an amazing team that has developed an excellent multi-disciplinary approach for our patients, and I am delighted that our high-quality holistic care has been recognised.”
Andrew Ho, NNUH Consultant Neuro-Oncologist, added: “We are honoured to be re-accredited as a TJBCM Centre of Excellence, giving external validation to the dedication to our patients and quality of service our team delivers.The fact that we were accredited as the East of England Neuro-Oncology Network demonstrates the collaborative approach we take to address the challenges that the large geography of East Anglia provides. This is reflected in the comments from the panel, including the comprehensive manner in which each and every patient’s holistic needs are addressed.”
Lord Darzi, who led the review of the NHS in England in 2024, said: “The award of 14 new Centres of Excellence is a fitting tribute to Dame Tessa Jowell and her dedication to improving treatment and care for patients with a brain tumour. 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 care.”
Professor Richard Gilbertson, Chair of the TJBCM and Chair of Oncology at the University of Cambridge, said: “The Centre of Excellence programme continues to give us an unprecedented view of the treatment, care and research of brain tumours in the UK; we now know better than ever where the NHS is excelling, but also where we need to come together to collectively address national challenges.”