NHS West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance

14/10/2026

Patients with malignant brain tumours and their loved ones are benefiting from a project in Leeds.

The BE SPeCiaL project (pictured) sees specialist rehabilitation, which maximises patients’ independence, being delivered by physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. It also includes early access to advanced care planning and carer guided online support.

This is a fantastic initiative, and we are highlighting it as part of our celebration of national – shining a light on the work of allied health professionals.

Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, the project at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's neuro-oncology outpatients’ services, also provides an opportunity for AHPs to get involved in research.

Another fantastic example of the contribution AHPs make to cancer care and treatment is an initiative also at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust where the speech and language therapists are leading a project to create a patient information booklet and videos for all patients undergoing a laryngectomy.

It came after feedback from patients around the transition to home after such life changing surgery - every element of their life is impacted, for example loss of ‘normal’ voice, change to swallowing, breathing via their neck, lots of equipment to get used to and unable to shower in the same way.

Occupational Therapists

14/10/2026

Today is national when we celebrate the fantastic contribution made by allied health professionals in health and social care and, particularly in cancer care.

We are highlighting some of the great work that is happening in our region by allied health professionals who play a vital role across the entire cancer pathway – from diagnosis and treatment to recovery, living with and beyond cancer and palliative care.

The importance of cancer patients remaining active is well documented and an initiative at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is encouraging people undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery to become more active.

Led by therapeutic radiographer @ Emma Morgan and supported by the Cancer Alliance, the service improvement project involves training staff to have conversations with patients, whilst getting more active themselves.

In this podcast recorded for , Emma explains more to the Cancer’s Alliance’s Sarah Grant and about how she was inspired by Dr Shaunna Burke and her www.dyingtoclimb.com 14 Peaks project.

To watch the full video and other AHP videos see here: https://lnkd.in/e9iRA7PB

14/10/2026

Today on national , we celebrate and recognise the incredible contribution of our allied health professionals (AHPs) and the vital role they play in supporting people with cancer.

Our AHP Cancer Forum provides a valuable opportunity to connect, collaborate and share best practice across allied health professions.

To mark , we have produced a podcast to highlight the work of the Forum. The Cancer Alliance’s Husna Munir speaks to the Forum’s co-chairs, Kate Darwin, specialist dietitian at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and physiotherapist Kerry Archer.

To watch the podcast in full click here: https://canceralliance.wyhpartnership.co.uk/latest-news/cancer-alliance-launches-videos-and-podcasts-celebrate-ahp-day-2026-watch-here

For more about our Forum, including details of the next meeting on 12 November click here: https://canceralliance.wyhpartnership.co.uk/our-work/workforce/west-yorkshire-and-harrogate-ahp-allied-health-professionals-forum

14/10/2026

14/10/2026

14/10/2026

Specialist dietitian Kate Darwin is helping to improve care for cancer patients at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust after completing a quality improvement project.

And no better time to celebrate her innovative work than on national - an event that shines a light on the incredible contribution of allied health professionals across health and social care.

As part of a Master’s degree, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, Kate focused on how the upper gastrointestinal and hepato-pancreato biliary cancer dietetic service, which she runs, could be utilised more effectively to benefit patients and ease staff time pressures.

She re-designed it, creating a new, more structured service, where patients are seen at the most appropriate times along their pathway, ensuring dietetic intervention is delivered when most needed.

Outcomes are being measured now that the service is fully operational – resulting in a huge improvement in patient care and service delivery.

She presented her Master’s research at the National Macmillan Professionals conference in Birmingham, sharing her learning with other professionals.

She said: “There was a lot of interest and I received some amazing feedback from other cancer care professionals. And it wasn't just dieticians, I had specialist nurses, occupational therapists, physios and speech and language therapists all expressing interest."

Kate is also co-chair of the Cancer Alliance’s AHP Cancer Forum: In this podcast, produced for , she speaks to the Cancer Alliance’s Husna Munir about her involvement and the importance of it. Watch here: https://canceralliance.wyhpartnership.co.uk/latest-news/cancer-alliance-launches-videos-and-podcasts-celebrate-ahp-day-2026-watch-here

14/10/2026

Today is national when we celebrate the incredible contribution made by allied health professionals across health and care.

Baz Rodger, the Cancer Alliance’s Professional and Clinical Lead, Nursing and AHP, with a background as a therapeutic radiographer, talks about the outstanding patient care provided by AHPs across the health system and particularly in cancer care.

14/10/2026

Today is national Allied Health Professionals Day when we celebrate the important contribution AHPs make to health, care and wellbeing.

AHPs are the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS, bringing together 14 different professions. They work across health and care, supporting people from prevention and diagnosis through treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.

For people affected by cancer, AHPs are an important part of multidisciplinary care.

Their expertise can support people at many points in their cancer experience, including diagnosis, treatment, prehabilitation and rehabilitation, nutrition, communication, maintaining independence and living well with and beyond cancer.

Watch this space for stories, videos and podcasts that shine a light on some of the great work happening in our region.

09/10/2026

Huge congratulations to the Ambulatory Chemotherapy team at Leeds Children’s Hospital who won the Innovation Champion award at the hospital’s Kite awards ceremony.

Funded by the Cancer Alliance, the initiative enables children and young people with cancer to benefit from chemotherapy at home – making them some of the youngest in the country to do so.

Patients who meet the criteria can leave the hospital connected to a backpack containing a pump which continuously administers their treatment whilst at home or outside the hospital setting.

Being at home means that patients can be more comfortable and better rested, socialise with friends and family, eat their favourite foods and be more distracted from their treatment.

The service is receiving an excellent uptake and feedback from patients and families has been positive. It is also attracting national and international interest.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust