Innovation Through Collaboration - Cancer Alliance Conference and Awards Announced

SAVE THE DATE: Innovation Through Collaboration -

First Cancer Alliance Conference Announced

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance has announced its first annual conference and awards, on the theme of Innovation Through Collaboration: Shaping The Future Of Cancer Care

Patients and partners from across the area will be invited to look at how the National Cancer Plan - published this week - will be delivered through collaboration and innovative ways of working across primary care; hospital Trusts; community, voluntary and charitable services, and technology companies, with a focus on patient centred care.

It will also be an opportunity to showcase and celebrate achievements so far in transforming the care and services provided to people affected by cancer, their carers and families, and in the development of the cancer care workforce.

The one-day conference will take place on Tuesday 2nd June 2026 and attendance is by invitation only. It will be held in the Centenary Pavilion at the Elland Road Stadium in Leeds. The programme will include:

• Keynote speakers and panel discussions – insights from leaders and patient representatives shaping cancer care.
• Interactive breakout sessions showcasing examples of patient centred approaches, tackling health inequalities and exploring innovative models of care.
• A poster exhibition celebrating examples of good practice in cancer care across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
• Exhibition stands, with the opportunity to network and talk to colleagues from a range of organisations about their work.

The first ever Innovation Through Collaboration Awards will also be announced at the conference, spanning a range of categories, including a special trophy in memory of Paul Vose, pictured below, who passed away in May of last year.  

Paul - who was initially diagnosed with tonsil cancer in 2006 at the age of 44 - was a lay member of the Cancer Alliance Board; a former Treasurer of Yorkshire Cancer Community, a member of the Cancer Alliance patient panel; a Cancer Champion; a former member of the National Cancer Patient and Public Voices Forum, and involved in other local groups and forums promoting the importance of the patient voice in cancer care. 

Despite all the health challenges Paul faced over the years, he continued to use his own lived experience and to gather the views of others to ensure improvements in care and services were rooted in patient experience.

The award will recognise the work of others who continue Paul's legacy through demonstrating his values, passion, dedication and commitment.

Details of all the award categories; the criteria and timetable for nominations, will be announced in the near future, along with full details of the conference programme.

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