Publish date: 20 May 2026

 

Shortlisted entries announced as countdown to conference continues

Shortlisted entries in the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance Innovation Through Collaboration Awards 2026 have been announced.

Winners will be announced at the first-ever WYH Cancer Alliance conference, taking place in Leeds on Tuesday 2nd June.

Click on the drop-down boxes below to learn more about which individuals and organisations are in the running for an award.

Most Impactful Innovation Project in primary care - the 'front door' of the NHS, the first point of contact for patients, providing accessible, general healthcare services to prevent, diagnose and treat common conditions.

Shortlisted entries for 2026:

Information to follow.

Most Impactful Innovation Project in secondary care - usually referring to specialised medical services provided by experts, usually upon referral from a primary care provider, often in hospitals or specialist clinics.

Shortlisted entries for 2026:

 

shining star.jpgLeeds Surface Guided Radiotherapy Implementation Team
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

shining star.jpgNon Surgical Oncology Programme North Sector
ePROMS Delivery Group
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

shining star.jpgProstate Education and Exercise Programme Team
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

 

shining star.jpgSpecialist Haemato-Oncology and Palliative Care (HOPe) Service
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Most Impactful Innovation Project involving voluntary and community groups, and social enterprises (known as the VCSE sector) - a  range of organisations including small grassroots charities, faith-based organisations, social enterprises and community-based groups. They play a vital role in supporting statutory health and social care agencies to improve health outcomes and provide tailored services, advocating for patients and supporting patient engagement.

Shortlisted for 2026:

 

shining star.jpgBless Community Support

 

shining star.jpgCancer SMART
Yorkshire Cancer Community
 
shining star.jpgDementia Forward and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
 
shining star.jpgStaying Well Social Prescribing Team
Calderdale
 
 
 
 
 

Our fourth category recognises the exceptional achievement of a team or service delivering the Most Impactful Innovation Project (prevention, diagnosis or care-related) pan system for the population of West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

Shortlisted for 2026:

 

shining star.jpgRobyn Bowman
Clinical Nurse Specialist and the
Pelvic Late Effects Team
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

shining star.jpgLiver Buddies – Community Liver Health Checks Service
West Yorkshire Liver Care Operational Delivery Network

 

shining star.jpgUtilisation of oral lesion photography in the triage of suspected cancer referrals
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

shining star.jpgWest Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance and Trust Lead Cancer Nurse ACCEND Collaboration
Hosted by The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

 

Our Clinical Champion award recognises the work of an individual working in a direct care role, leading or contributing to a cancer-focused innovation (prevention, diagnosis or care-related) for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate population. 

Shortlisted for 2026:

 

shining star.jpgDr Oliver Hulson
Consultant Radiologist
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
 
shining star.jpgIan Maud
Clinical Nurse Specialist Team Lead – Pancreas
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
 
shining star.jpgVictoria Rawnsley
Specialist Oral Chemotherapy Nurse
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

 

 

 

 

Our Non-Clinical Champion award recognises the work of a non-clinical individual working in, leading or contributing to a cancer-focused innovation (prevention, diagnosis or care-related) for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate population. 

Shortlisted for 2026:

 

shining star.jpgDr Shaunna Burke
Associate Professor in Exercise and Health Psychology
University of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

 

shining star.jpgJulian Chadha
Manager, RPA Team – The Health Informatics Service
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
 
shining star.jpgLucy Elkiss
Project Lead Nurse - ACCEND Implementation
West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance
 
shining star.jpgKathryn Thornton
Health and Wellbeing Coach/Cancer Care Co-ordinator
West Leeds Primary Care Network

A special category - the Paul Vose Award - will honour someone who has demonstrated compassion and a commitment to ensuring the voice of the patient is heard and is an integral part of the development and transformation of cancer care and services in our area.

The award is named in honour of Paul Vose, pictured left, one of the original lay members of the Cancer Alliance Board, who passed away in May 2025. Paul - who was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in his early 50s - was also a former member of the National Cancer Patient and Public Voices Forum;  Treasurer of the charity, Yorkshire Cancer Community; a member of the Cancer Alliance patient panel; a Cancer SMART champion, and held a number of other patient advocacy positions in West Yorkshire. 

The shortlist for this award will be compiled by Jayne Vose, Paul's widow; Dr Stewart Manning, Chair of charity Yorkshire Cancer Community, and Jason Pawluk, Cancer Alliance Managing Director, rather than through an open call for nominations, and will be published shortly.

shining star.jpgThis award will be announced at the conference.

Watch this space for more information!