Today's leadership message is from Jason Pawluk

Posted on: 29 May 2026

Today’s leadership message is from Jason Pawluk, Managing Director, West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance

Jason Pawluk

On Tuesday 2 June, the Cancer Alliance is proud to be convening the system to a conference badged ‘Innovation through Collaboration.’ As many will know, June has turned, in health policy circles, into a type of ‘mini conference’ season, possibly because there is at least a 50% chance of West Yorkshire weather not delivering either ‘boiling’ or ‘Baltic’ like conditions.

Our conference will celebrate improvements which have been championed and delivered in local services in the last couple of years, drawing more than 350 delegates together across the Health and Care Partnership landscape.

At the conference, also attended by external partners and speakers, we will also be hosting the inaugural Cancer Alliance awards, which recognise the special contributions of colleagues going above and beyond for the people they serve.

We have been proud to support awards celebrating the achievements of colleagues working both in clinical and non-clinical capacities, and across each sector involved in delivering cancer care. Our poster competition was also oversubscribed.

We are also delighted to recognise the key role of lay representation in the Alliance, through the Paul Vose Award. Paul was a keen advocate of the patient voice and supported the Alliance and our partners in Yorkshire Cancer Community for many years before he sadly passed away last year.

In case you can’t join us on the day, then please follow our social media tags on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and YouTube, or listen to our podcast series. On the day of the conference, we will also be launching our Annual Report for 25/26, our Achievements on a Page and our Plan on a Page for 26/27.

Beyond the conference, and in addition to a visit from the Getting it Right First Time team, in June we will also be supporting NHS Expo, the UK Oncology Forum, and a range of conferences organised by partners including Yorkshire Cancer Community, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

What will be talked about at all these connection points are the local achievements which span the whole spectrum of care, from delivering timelier presentation and early diagnosis; improving cancer pathways; and delivering holistic support to people right through their cancer journey.

Many of these achievements are ‘first in class’, being ‘built in West Yorkshire and Harrogate’. They rightly bring to life, and reflect, the wider ambition of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership to transform cancer care and outcomes, including the role of the Integrated Care Board in delivering strategic commissioning. They showcase our values of being courageous, honest and kind.

From a leadership perspective, and without giving the game away on the winners (no spoiler alerts needed), I was so impressed to receive more than 50 nominations for our awards. Some tough calls and debates took place at judging panels. Judging panels commented how we could have rewarded entries several times over - I wholeheartedly agree.

Also, very worthy of a shout-out is the operational performance delivered by system partners. West Yorkshire and Harrogate also ended the last financial year by:

achieving the highest level of performance nationally against the Faster Diagnosis Standard
meeting the NHS Constitution threshold for 31-day cancer care delivery
exceeding national and regional thresholds for the delivery of 62-day referral to treatment standard, meeting the requirements set out in the Medium-Term Planning Framework (year one)

For this, and many other reasons, your local Cancer Alliance is recognised nationally as a delivery champion and opinion-leader, with a mature and effective governance and operational structure matched to the needs of the National Cancer Plan.

For me, there is a wider point here. What is delivered in terms of improving cancer care is not just the labours of the Cancer Alliance, or the ‘central team’ itself. Nor the aggregate of the differential concepts of West Yorkshire and Place.

Instead, as a translator of national policy into local action, the Cancer Alliance is a fulcrum for mobilising wider effort, strategic focus and momentum for cancer care, working with all its partners. When we, together, do our best work, we connect people into a shared purpose of collaboration - not just because they must, but because they genuinely see the purpose of doing so.

It is this connective energy which is what will continue to make the noble words in the National Cancer Plan and its appreciably lofty ambitions real. Moving us closer to Denmark as the Plan indicates, although not in every respect as this Oncology News Today article outlined.

Delivering power through connection, shared purpose and understanding will translate the context of neighbourhood health from a delivery vehicle to a vehicle which delivers for the people we are here to serve together.

I am always mindful that this blog has a wide distribution list, including partners who are directly involved in championing cancer care personally, or who support our ambitions through their wider work and personal agency.

However, whatever your role, I wanted to end with a simple message – thank you.

In a time when the media narrative has not always recognised the efforts of those who graft, go the extra mile and deliver the magic behind the scenes, I just wanted to say that we recognise and value your efforts and commitments.

Have a good weekend

Jason

To mark Diabetes Prevention Week 2026 (Monday 26 May to Sunday 1 June) we also have a blog from Professor Eleanor Scott, Professor of Medicine (Diabetes and Maternal Health), University of Leeds, and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust who talks about understanding gestational diabetes

Prof Eleanor Scott

Understanding gestational diabetes - why a national audit was long overdue

Gestational diabetes (GDM) affects between 10-20% of pregnancies in the UK and carries significant risks for both mother and baby, including a high likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Together with NHS England, Eleanor has developed a new national audit to provide a consistent picture of how GDM is identified, managed and followed up across England.

Early findings show that while treatment during pregnancy is generally effective, there are persistent inequalities and a clear gap in postnatal follow-up and prevention. The audit will help benchmark care, highlight variation and support more joined-up, equitable services for women after pregnancy.

Read Eleanor’s blog on the Partnership blog pages to find out more about what the audit does and what we have learned.

What's been happening?

Bradford Midwife Awarded NIHR Senior Research Leader Programme Place

Kate Robinson, Senior Research Midwife and Knowledge Mobilisation and Communications Lead at Yorkshire and Humber Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) and Bradford Institute of Health Research, has been awarded a place on the prestigious NIHR Senior Research Leader Programme. The three-year programme aims to transform research culture in NHS organisations whilst building sustainable research capacity across nursing, midwifery and allied health professional disciplines. Find out more on the ARC website.

No more waiting rooms – sexual health care goes mobile

Locala mobile clinic

A brand-new, fully equipped sexual health clinic on wheels is set to arrive in communities across West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, making it easier than ever for people to take control of their sexual health.

Locala Sexual Health is launching its ‘Clinic in a Van’, a modern, discreet, FREE mobile service that will travel across Bradford, Kirklees, Stockport, Tameside, Wigan and Leigh, delivering confidential care right where people need it most.

Whether you want peace of mind, advice or quick access to contraception and testing, the van is designed to be simple, welcoming and easy to use – no long trips, no barriers, just support on the doorstep. Find out more on the Locala website.

GPs across West Yorkshire and Harrogate to benefit from faster patient imaging tools through new hospital technology

From this summer, new technology will be rolled out to GP practices across West Yorkshire and Harrogate to support GPs to request scans and other images and guidance relating to musculoskeletal (MSK) diagnoses. This is in addition to the X-rays and ultrasounds they can already order on behalf of patients. The technology will be rolled out across our trust, as well as other hospitals in the Yorkshire Imaging Collaborative (YIC) network and local Community Diagnostics Centres (CDCs) to support clinicians in delivering safer, more consistent and efficient diagnostic care for patients. Find out more on the WYAAT website.

Bradford to host world’s first major trial to reduce social media use among healthy adolescents

Social media apps like TikTok and Snapchat are now a big part of the lives of teenagers. The Age of Wonder study (part of the Born in Bradford research programme and NIHR Yorkshire and Humber ARC Healthy Families theme) shows that teenagers, even 13-year olds, use social media apps for three hours every day on average.

The government, families and young people urgently want to understand the impact of social media, and how negative impacts can be reduced.

A large high-quality scientific trial will test if reductions in social media reduce levels of anxiety and affect other outcomes such as sleep, bullying and time spent with friends and family. The trial will include 4,000 young people from Bradford aged 12 to 15. Find out more on the ARC website.

Dewsbury hospital patients are benefitting from a new surgical robot

Xi Colorectal Robotic Surgery

A brand-new, state-of-the-art surgical robot has been installed at Dewsbury District Hospital which will help patients, including those having cancer surgery, recover quicker from operations, experience fewer complications and less pain.

The da Vinci Xi surgical robot was installed in April. It is a modern surgical system that helps surgeons carry out operations using very small cuts instead of large incisions.

Mr Mo Dooldeniya, Consultant Urological Surgeon and Associate Medical Director, Workforce, said: “This new robot is a major step forward for the care we can offer locally. For patients, it means smaller incisions, less pain after surgery and a quicker recovery, helping them get back to normal life sooner.

“For surgeons, the enhanced 3D vision and precision give us greater control and flexibility during procedures, which supports safer, more efficient surgery. Ultimately, this technology helps us deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients.” Find out more on the trust website.

Healthy Working Life in action - new case studies show real impact across West Yorkshire

Healthy Working Life graphic

Healthy Working Life projects across West Yorkshire are helping more people stay well, stay in work and build confidence for the future through tailored health and employment support. Find out how in our latest case studies.

Support for working-age stroke survivors

A pioneering pilot is supporting working-age stroke survivors to return to work and rebuild their lives through a new approach to six-month reviews delivered by the Stroke Association. The service recognises work as a key health outcome and responds to the changing needs many people face around six months after a stroke, including confidence, fatigue and financial pressures.

Co-ordinators provide personalised, holistic support, working with individuals and their families to identify practical steps towards recovery, independence and employment. The pilot is already generating valuable insight into how health and employment services can work together more effectively, helping shape future support for stroke survivors across West Yorkshire. Read the West Yorkshire pilot helps stroke survivors return to work case study

A co-ordinated, person-centred approach for people with complex health needs

Neighbourhood proactive care in Burmantofts, Harehills and Richmond Primary Care Network is helping people with complex health needs take back control through a co-ordinated, person-centred approach. As part of the Three Long-term Conditions and Mental Health Project, multi-disciplinary teams bring together clinical care, pharmacy support, social prescribing and care co-ordination to address both medical and wider life challenges.

By listening early, reviewing needs together and providing consistent follow-up, the team is improving health outcomes, building trust and supporting people to stay independent. The approach shows how joined-up, neighbourhood care can remove barriers, strengthen confidence and create the conditions for people to remain active in their communities and, where appropriate, in work. Read the neighbourhood proactive care helps Eileen take back control of her health case study

Helping people stay in work or return to work

Live Well Wakefield is helping people stay in work or return when health and life challenges arise by combining work coaching, health coaching and social prescribing. The service supports individuals facing a wide range of issues, from caring responsibilities and financial stress to long-term conditions and workplace pressures, by focusing on what matters most to them. Through tailored, practical support and early intervention, people are building confidence, improving wellbeing and navigating a sustainable path back to employment. The project highlights how integrated support can address the real-life barriers to work, strengthening resilience and delivering lasting benefits for individuals and communities. Read ‘where wellbeing and work come together’ – real stories, real impact case study

Healthy Working Life is a joint programme from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week

Dr Waqas Tahir

This week is Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week (25 to 31 May) and NHS teams are encouraging people in our region to check their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by using the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk tool.

Dr Waqas Tahir, Diabetes Clinical Lead for the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership and the NHS in the North East and Yorkshire, said, “People living with diabetes face a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, foot problems, vision loss and kidney problems. The good news is you can reduce your risk by eating a healthy, balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and keeping physically active.”

Dr Tahir added, “I would encourage people to find out their risk of type 2 diabetes by using the Diabetes UK Know Your Risk tool. It only takes a few minutes and if someone is at moderate to high risk, the tool will advise them to contact their GP practice.”

The NHS Healthier You Diabetes Prevention Programme is an evidence-based lifestyle change programme. It helps people aged 18 and over to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by managing their weight, eating more healthily and being more physically active. Research shows the programme has prevented thousands of new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes in England, saving people from potentially serious ill health.

Today's leadership message is from Jason Pawluk