DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING IN MULTIPLE LONG-TERM CONDITIONS CARE? WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
In a study led by Imperial College London and the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, we are co-developing a set of primary care quality indicators that captures the top patient-centred priorities for the care of people living with MLTC. We have done this in partnership with patients and caregivers across Northwest London, with 5 community partners as co-investigators.
Over the past year we have:
1) Conducted a systematic review of existing MLTC quality indicators and qualitative themes on priorities with MLTC care
2) 21 In-depth interviews with patients and carers living and receiving care in NWL;
3) Developed a conceptual framework defining what “quality” means from a lived-experience perspective in the context of MLTC;
4) Nurtured collaborations and engagement with the North West London ICB Health Equity team to align these indicators with their health equity work and strategy in development for the next 5 years.
Who can participate?
– We would now greatly value contributions and insights from an expert panel of healthcare professionals including medical doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, commissioners or managers
– With at least 5 years’ experience in primary care, quality improvement, chronic condition management, or commissioning within Northwest London.
– Experience may be at a clinical, academic, clinical academic, or strategic/leadership level.
Participation will help refine and prioritise the proposed quality indicators into a smaller, operational set. Prioritisation will involve equal contributions from healthcare professionals, care commissioners, and patient representatives. Participation involves:
– Stage 1: Online Survey (via Qualitrics) taking no longer than 15-20 minutes to complete
– Stage 2: Hybrid workshop (face-face or online) with date to be defined when stage 1 acquires enough responses. Expected duration of max. 2 hours.
If you are interested in taking part please contact one of the research team members on the below emails or fill in the expression of interest form on the QR code below.
– Sara Tavares: stavares@ic.ac.uk;
– Laura Downey: LDowney@georgeinstitute.org.au,
– Tom Beaney: thomas.beaney@imperial.ac.uk
Enter the NIHR Impact Prizes 2026 and be recognised for the impact of your research.
This is your chance to showcase how your NIHR-funded or supported research work has transformed people’s lives or promoted economic growth.
For 20 years, NIHR has funded and supported breakthrough research that has changed care and improved the lives of millions, nationally and internationally, by focusing on the questions that matter most to the public, patients and professionals.
The NIHR Impact Prizes recognise major improvements in health and care over the last 2 decades, driven by research and scientific advances. The prizes celebrate researchers and teams who have had a significant impact on the health and wealth of the nation, as well as globally.
Prizes are open to research teams and early career researchers, with entries via a Google Form and short video.
NIHR are hosting a webinar on 16 March 2026 from 2.30 to 4 Register here
Further details can be found here , deadline for applications is 27 April 2026
Read about last years winners, including Imperial’s Critical Care Research Team
BRC community partners play a crucial role in shaping the work we do. Suzanne Bell tells us about her recent experience of working with a group of MSc students to discuss projects they are working on. The event revealed a profound impact on researchers as well as the public and patient partners.
On 30th January I took part in the Science Communication workshop for MSc students along with other cancer patient advocates. For about 18 months, I’ve been a part of the PPIE programme (Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement) for Imperial College London. I had no idea that these kinds of programmes existed. It was only through a chance meeting with a neighbour at Maggie’s Centre, West London, that I became involved. Her enthusiasm sparked my enthusiasm. I’d had a lengthy career in arts and culture. I founded a charitable organisation that improved access to live music, which puts disabled people’s lived experiences at the heart of societal change. After being diagnosed with Breast Cancer six years ago and subsequently leaving my senior position at the charity to maintain a healthier work/life balance, I now had the opportunity to give my unique perspective as a disabled person living with a cancer diagnosis.
Engaging directly with the students from Imperial College London is my favourite activity within the PPIE programme. I get to see first-hand how the students come to understand the real-world impact of their research projects. One patient summed it up as follows:
“As a cancer patient advocate, contributing to this event led by the Imperial CRUK Nurse, PPIE-focused session reinforces just how valuable lived experience is in shaping meaningful and relevant research.”
This was my third Science Communication workshop. The first time that I took part, I worried that I wouldn’t be of use to the students because I failed all my science exams at secondary school. However, it turned out that I was the perfect person for the students to practice on because you don’t need to know about the scientific processes or any jargonistic terms that support cancer research. As patients, our task is to listen to the students giving their research project summaries (known as ‘Lay Summaries’) and to give feedback on what we’ve understood and not understood. One PPIE advocate sums up the importance of this:
“I wanted to support Cancer MSc students in developing their ability to communicate complex research in a way that is meaningful and accessible to patients and the wider public. As a patient representative, it was important to contribute a non-academic perspective and help students test whether their lay summaries and presentations truly made sense to someone without a scientific background.”
Throughout my career, I’ve worked to encourage the use of ‘Plain English’ in all communications because written English with all its jargon and complex meanings can be a barrier to understanding for many people. I also encourage the students to include some pictorial representation – diagrams, infographics, etc, because it can help bring their research to life as well as meeting people’s different learning styles.
These students come from across the globe and when I talk with them, I’m always struck by their intelligence and their passion for helping cancer patients. One patient advocate describes the experience of working with the students as follows:
“I was both honoured and humbled by meeting these lovely young people – it is obvious to me that they are aware of the gravity of the matters they are looking into, and I thought they managed to be both curious and respectful in relation to my position as a patient.”
The patient advocate makes a crucial point about being respectful. The workshop can give rise to a lot of complicated emotions around living with, or beyond, cancer. It might mean that patient advocates recall trauma. Some of the patient advocates have been living with incurable diagnosis for a length of time and one of those advocates describes how they benefit from talking with the students:
“The opportunity to do something useful and positive with some of my most upsetting, frustrating, and traumatic experiences is really valuable to me. Supporting research, education, and learning with my experience of the disease and its treatment is truly transformative…probably better than therapy!”
The students echo the positive impact:
“For me, it’s about listening to your [the patient advocates] stories and how much our research makes positive changes for you [the patient advocates]. We sometimes forget in the lab what we’re trying to do and achieve.”
“It was grounding, motivating and heartwarming. There was so much enthusiasm [from patients] for the projects. I’m going to carry this moment forward to the rest of my Masters.”
Co-production between clinical research students and their tutors, patient advocates and other key medics lays the groundwork for future improvement in the detection and treatment of cancers. These improvements can be significant. Some patient advocates said they felt privileged to be part of the engagement with students from the outset of their careers. They also emphasised how embedding PPIE within research training plays a vital role in developing responsible, reflective researchers of the future. They felt that the workshops were an essential part of being able to deliver research that serves the people who it aims to benefit. For others, it reinforced the importance of collaboration between researchers and patients. It demonstrated how engagement, if it’s carried out in a meaningful way, enhances mutual understanding.
This last quote sums up why everyone turned up to the workshop with intent to learn, support and understand:
“The MSc/PHD students of today are the researchers of tomorrow, whose predecessors’ work will have contributed to the medical breakthroughs that saved my life.”
Thanks to Kelly Gleeson, Lead Nurse at Imperial CRUK Centre, and her team for bringing everyone together for this workshop.
By Suzanne Bull MBE
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) and the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine (PCSM) welcomed Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to Carlisle on 23 January for a landmark visit focused on strengthening research capacity and innovation across the region.
Hosted at the Cumberland Infirmary, the visit brought together senior leaders, researchers, clinicians, academic and other partners to showcase the growing research ecosystem in Cumbria, one built on collaboration between NCIC, PCSM Research Hub (funded by NIHR Imperial BRC), the University of Cumbria’s Institute of Health and Cumberland Council.
The day opened with a welcome from Trudie Davies, Interim Chief Executive of NCIC, who outlined the Trust’s ambitions to expand high quality clinical research that improves care for local communities. Trudie was proud to be able to share the progress that has already been made by staff and recognised that this is a key step for the Trust’s long-term sustainability. She said: “It was a pleasure to meet Lucy and as ‘Team Cumbria’ we made a strong case. It is a recognised fact that organisations that participate in research have better outcomes for both staff and patients and therefore, attracting more research activity to NCIC will help us to not only deliver better care, but help us to attract people to come and work with us who want to develop a research and education programme.”
She was joined by Professor Graham Cooke, Vice Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London, who highlighted how Imperial’s collaboration with Cumbria can strengthen national research programmes and generate insights relevant to rural and coastal communities.
The visit provided an opportunity for PCSM to present its expanding contribution to the region’s research landscape.
Professor Mary Morrell, Head of School, highlighted PCSM’s rapidly developing medical education and research vision, rooted in partnership with NCIC and local communities.
This was followed by Professor Sophie Day, Co-Director of the PCSM Research Hub (PCSM-RH), who outlined the Hub’s mission to support emerging researchers, grow multidisciplinary collaboration, and enable Cumbria-based innovation to influence national health challenges.
Senior NCIC leaders Dr Adrian Clements (Executive Medical Director), Professor Gillian Findley (Chief Nurse), Kate North (Director of People and Culture) and Chris Rao (Consultant Surgeon and Director of Clinical Research) set out what the Trust hopes to achieve through its partnership with the PCSM Research Hub, including expanding NIHR Imperial BRC funded clinical research fellowships, supporting workforce development, and enhancing patient access to cutting edge studies.
The meeting continued with a presentation on the Institute of Health at the University of Cumbria by Professor Joy Duxbury, research presentations from PCSM-RH funded MRes and PhD students and project PIs, and a session with the Cumberland Council HDRC led by Dr Colin Cox, Director of Public Health.
Executive Medical Director and Deputy CEO Adrian Clements added: “Lucy is a key decision maker in the allocation of research funding, and I think she was very impressed by the scale of our ambition and the way we work so collaboratively with our partners – another key enabler for better outcomes for patients.
Professor Chappell sharing her reflections on what the NIHR is looking to support in Cumbria. She emphasised that the region’s unique geography, patient populations, integrated care structure and commitment to collaboration offer significant opportunities for impactful research.
A minimally invasive targeted treatment called salvage focal therapy, which targets just the cancerous area of the prostate, can treat men whose prostate cancer has recurred after radiotherapy with much fewer side effects and less impact on their quality of life, according to a new study.
Published in JAMA Oncology, the study by researchers at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has compared salvage focal therapy using either heat (high intensity focused ultrasound HIFU) or cold (cryotherapy) with full prostate removal (radical prostatectomy). It found focal therapy works just as well to treat the recurrent cancer, with much fewer complications.
Between 10,000 and 15,000 men in the UK receive radiotherapy for prostate cancer every year. Around a quarter of them will have their cancer recur within ten years – up to 4,500 men every year.
One of the treatments offered to these men includes surgical removal of the prostate (salvage radical prostatectomy) which comes with many side effects, such as long recovery, major complications, lifelong urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Many opt to not have full surgery because of the side effects they might experience, so the outlook for these men is poor, with many not surviving beyond five years. Clinicians say that new treatment options are urgently needed for these men.
As effective at treating cancer, but with far fewer side effects
The research team compared survival and complication/ side effects data from 554 men in England who had focal therapy or a full prostatectomy between 2006 and 2024. They found:
- Salvage focal therapy was as effective as radical prostatectomy to treat the cancer – both have high rates of survival with most men (9 out of 10) being alive ten years after surgery
- Those having focal therapy to treat the cancerous areas within the prostate had between 9 and 24 times lower odds of minor and major complications than full prostate removal. One in 20 patients having salvage focal therapy had a complication compared to six in 10 of those having salvage radical prostatectomy
The researchers say the findings will have an immediate impact on frontline clinical care, as many NHS centres around the UK already offer focal therapy, including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and it is also available in private centres.
Dr Alexander Light, urology registrar and NIHR Doctoral Fellow at Imperial College London and at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: “Radiotherapy is one of the most common treatments for prostate cancer, with over 10,000 men having this treatment every year. Sadly, up to one third of these men may develop a recurrence of their cancer and many will die from it if not treated. Traditionally their treatment options have been very limited – they can have medical castration (to stop the body producing testosterone) with hormonal therapy or major surgery to remove the whole prostate. But these are also very invasive.”
He continues: “This study shows salvage focal therapy is just as effective as these more radical and invasive options, but also has much fewer side effects. This means we now have a treatment that maintains quality of life for patients whilst controlling the cancer. Patients have a short procedure in hospital and can go home the same day. They are up walking, eating and in minimal discomfort and are generally able to get on with most of their normal activities. Fewer side effects means men will have a better quality of life – and they can return to work sooner, which also lessens the burden on family and friends.”
Lead researcher and consultant urologist Dr Taimur Shah from Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: “This study provides long term comparative data and vital evidence to show salvage focal therapy works, and will hopefully lead to NICE guidelines being updated so clinicians know how best to treat this cohort of men. As well as being the best way to treat prostate cancer when it recurs, focal therapy could potentially save money for the NHS because it reduces the need for very expensive drugs or toxic chemotherapy if the cancer spreads.”
He added: “Focal therapy is already available on the NHS and privately, with centres such as Charing Cross Hospital in London already offering the treatment alongside other centres in the capital (UCLH) and around the country (Southampton, Basingstoke, Brighton, Newcastle, Northampton, Bath, Kings Lynn). Patients can speak with their prostate doctor or GP for a referral to their nearest centre to get treatment. If their local hospital is unable to give the treatment, they may be able to be referred to another hospital in the country.”
Focal therapy has made my life better – Steve’s story
Steve Bannister’s story illustrates exactly why this research matters.
Now 73, retired builder Steve was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005, when he was in his early 50s. He had locally advanced disease and he was initially given a bleak prognosis, potentially only a couple of years to live. Radiotherapy was offered as the best available option, and he received radical radiotherapy combined with hormone treatment – so he jumped at the chance and had this life-saving treatment.
Steve said: “I always knew there was a chance that the cancer could return in about five years or so. I had managed a really good run of more than 17 years but at a devastating personal cost. I developed severe long-term urinary and associated erectile function complications. These life-altering consequences significantly affected my quality of life, despite the cancer remaining under control for many years.”
In 2022, Steve’s PSA levels began to rise again, and he experienced groin pain once more. Investigations confirmed that his prostate cancer had returned but it remained confined to the prostate. He was offered further radical treatment by his local hospital – most likely major surgery, which carried a high risk of worsening his already challenging complications.
Steve was determined to explore alternatives, and thanks to Paul Sayer, founder of the leading focal treatment charity, Prost8 UK, he was persuaded to get seek further advice. Paul himself had successful focal treatment for his prostate cancer in 2018, and this led to him setting up the charity. Paul introduced Steve to consultant urologist Professor Hashim Ahmed at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London, who is an international expert in focal therapy.
Rather than removing or treating the entire prostate, Professor Ahmed recommended salvage focal therapy, precisely targeting just the areas of recurrent cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. Steve first underwent salvage cryotherapy in early 2022, followed by a further targeted salvage HIFU ablation in July 2024. This treatment has been completely successful, with no further recurrence to date, and far less serious consequences of the more radical treatments he otherwise faced.
Steve said: “I am eternally grateful to Professor Ahmed’s amazing team for leading the way with this highly effective salvage treatment option and enabling me to take advantage of it. My life is all the better for it, and I hope many more men from around the country are offered the same chance I was.”
Research at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is supported by funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), a translational research partnership between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London, which was awarded £95 million in 2022 to continue developing new experimental treatments and diagnostics for patients. The researchers were supported by grants from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres.
The full article is available online.
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