Transforming cancer care across north east London

North East London Cancer Alliance is working in partnership with UCLPartners to support earlier cancer diagnosis by strengthening pathways and enabling the safe adoption of innovation, including digital and data-driven approaches.

Supporting earlier diagnosis

Earlier diagnosis remains a national priority because cancers identified at stages 1 and 2 are more treatable and are associated with improved outcomes and survival. However, delivering earlier diagnosis consistently at scale remains challenging. Increasing demand, workforce pressures, complex pathways and persistent inequalities continue to impact how quickly people are diagnosed.

Addressing these challenges requires coordinated system working, services designed around the needs of local communities, and digital tools that can be implemented effectively in everyday clinical practice. Supporting innovation to move beyond pilots and into routine care is essential if earlier diagnosis is to become standard across north east London.

UCLPartners is working with the North East London Cancer Alliance to bring together clinicians, operational teams, innovators and local communities to support delivery of sustainable improvements in early diagnosis.

A partnership approach to innovation and improvement

As an embedded innovation partner, UCLPartners supports the North East London Cancer Alliance to identify priority challenges, introduce new approaches safely, and build evidence to support wider adoption where improvements are demonstrated.

This work includes defining diagnostic priorities, identifying technologies that can help increase screening uptake, and providing independent evaluation of early detection initiatives. The focus is on ensuring that innovation improves patient experience, supports staff and contributes to reducing health inequalities across north east London’s diverse population.

Wayne Douglas, Programme Lead – Diagnosis and Treatment, North East London Cancer Alliance, said:

“We are currently one of the top-performing Cancer Alliances in the country, based on national cancer standards. Working with UCLPartners is helping us build on this success and find even better ways to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment, with a clear focus on what matters most to patients.

“Together we are identifying and safely introducing new approaches and technologies into cancer care, evaluating their impact, and reducing health inequalities across north east London, one of the most diverse communities in the country.”

Supporting innovation that delivers measurable impact

UCLPartners is also supporting innovators to navigate NHS adoption pathways, identify funding opportunities and scale solutions where they align with system priorities. By connecting innovators with clinical teams and operational leaders in cancer cate, the partnership is focused on ensuring that innovation leads to measurable improvements rather than remaining at pilot stage.

Current work includes exploring how digital tools and data-driven approaches can improve participation in screening and follow-up activity, enabling more proactive identification of people at higher risk of cancer. More targeted approaches have the potential to increase diagnosis at earlier stages while reducing unnecessary burden on patients and services.

Innovators such as Hippo Labs and Appt Health are being supported to work alongside system partners and Cancer Alliance programmes to test and deploy approaches that improve engagement, access and pathway efficiency.

Looking ahead

The shared focus for the coming year is on moving from implementation to demonstrable impact. This includes supporting delivery and evaluation of digital cancer initiatives, accelerating innovation aligned with North East London Cancer Alliance priorities, and sharing learning across the system.

Through continued partnership working, the aim is to ensure that the right interventions reach the right people at the right time — supporting earlier diagnosis, improving patient experience and reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes across north east London.

More information

Read about the work of the Diagnosis and Treatment programme: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/diagnosis-and-treatment-programme