In this episode, Steve Bland is joined by Jay Scott-Nicholls, the Creative Director at Circus, and Dr Adam P Januszewski PhD MRCP, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Quality and Safety Lead at Barts Cancer Centre to explore how digital innovation is transforming the experience of cancer care across north east London, focusing on the launch of a new virtual hospital tour at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Designed to help patients prepare for cancer treatment, the virtual tour guides them through how to get to their appointment and what to expect when they arrive, reducing uncertainty and anxiety at a critical moment in their care journey.

Recored at the launch event at St Barts, the episode highlights how technology can improve not only the quality of care but also equity of access. By providing clear, visual, and accessible information, the virtual tour helps patients who may be unfamiliar with hospital settings, travelling from further afield, living with anxiety, or facing language or communication barriers. Importantly, it also aims to improve appointment attendance, ensuring patients are supported to receive timely care.

The discussion places the virtual tour within a broader programme of digital innovation across the North East London Cancer Alliance, including the use of AI to speed up chest X-ray reporting, animated videos to explain tests and procedures in simple terms, and chatbots that offer round-the-clock answers to patient questions.

Together, these tools demonstrate how technology can support patients before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment.

Patients attending St Bartholomew’s Hospital are encouraged to access the virtual tour using the link or QR code in their appointment letter to help them feel more prepared and confident ahead of their visit.

For more information about innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment in north east London, watch this short video: https://youtu.be/urpQ6-AnExc

For this World Cancer Day special episode, Steve Bland and Femi Odewale, Managing Director of North East London Cancer Alliance, are joined by Dr Jagan John — a GP at Aurora Medcare, GPwSI in Cardiology at BDCHS, Personalised Care Clinical Director for NHS England (London), and Primary Care Board Representative for NEL ICB.

Together, they explore the significance of World Cancer Day, the launch of the National Cancer Plan for England, and what these national ambitions mean on the ground for patients and communities in north east London.

Following the launch of the National Cancer Plan for England, Femi talks through the key priorities of the plan and what they mean specifically for North East London Cancer Alliance.

As one of the top-performing cancer alliances in the country, consistently meeting and exceeding the three national cancer standards, the Alliance is well placed to build on strong foundations. Femi reflects on what has driven this performance to date, where there is still more to do, and how the new national plan provides both opportunities and challenges for cancer alliances and the communities they serve.

Drawing on his frontline experience as a GP, Dr John reflects on how cancer policy translates into day-to-day primary care — from prevention and early diagnosis to personalised, compassionate support for people living with and beyond cancer.

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Bowel screening saves lives, but many people are unsure of what it involves or why it’s so important. In this episode of Taking Control of Cancer, we go back to basics to explain what bowel screening is, who can get it, and how it works.

Steve is joined by Caroline Cook, Programme Lead for Early Diagnosis at the North East London Cancer Alliance, and Leena Khagram from the NHS Bowel Screening Service to explore the efforts being made across North East London to increase uptake, and share how you, your family, and your community can all play a part in helping more people benefit from this simple, but life-saving test.

Plus they cover how a sample of poo really can save your life and most importantly, the techniques you need to collect your samples!

Work still needs to be done to encourage more people to complete and return the bowel screening test kit. This episode explores some of the specific barriers and challenges in north east London, where the population is amongst the most diverse in England, and is also in some of the most deprived areas of the country.

For more information about bowel screening, visit https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/bowel-screening

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Steve Bland and Femi Odewale are back with another look at the ways in which cancer is making the news. This time we're looking back on a January that's featured an update on King Charles's treatment, a new screening checker to see if YOU qualify for any screening programmes (click here), a cancer diagnosis for a football legend and a call from a Yorkshire woman diagnosed with early stage breast cancer to make sure women who qualify for a mammogram actually attend their appointment.

Plus, it's Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (Jan 19-25) and Steve and Femi are myth-busting! For example, did you know that cervical screening doesn't actually look for cancer?! Cervical screening usually looks for high-risk HPV, not cancer itself. If HPV is found, the sample is then checked for cell changes that could develop into cancer if untreated. Find out more here.

For more info, visit the Eve Appeal or for info on the alliance Health Hubs, head to the North East London Cancer Alliance website.

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In this episode of Taking Control of Cancer, host Steve Bland is joined by Caroline Dancyger, Psychosocial Clinical Lead for the North East London Cancer Alliance, to discuss the importance of addressing not just the physical impact of cancer, but also the emotional, psychological, and social challenges that come with it.

Caroline explains what the term ‘psychosocial support’ means, how patients and families can access these services in north east London, and why this kind of care is a vital part of improving outcomes and quality of life.

For more information about the support services in north east London, visit https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/mental-health-and-psychosocial-support.

We also have a directory of training resources for healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of psychosocial services, which can be accessed via this webpage: https://www.nelcanceralliance.nhs.uk/personalised-care-and-psychosocial-care

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In this episode Steve Bland is joined by Femi Odewale and Paul Thomas, from the North East London Cancer Alliance, to dissect the big cancer stories making the news in December 2025.

In this episode:

1. The UK's National Screening Committee has recommended that only a very small group of men at high risk of prostate cancer should be screened for the disease. Read more here, check out our podcast episode with prostate cancer patients Mike and Yinka and read about the alliance's 'It's Not a Game' campaign here.
2. Adrian Chiles has revealed he’s undergone an operation to remove a cancerous patch of skin from his shoulder. The TV presenter’s diagnosis arrived after he spotted a suspicious skin patch, which a biopsy later confirmed to be cancerous. Read more here.
3. The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) is now live. NCPES gives people who have received cancer treatment the opportunity to share their experiences directly with the NHS. Every response plays a vital role in shaping how cancer services are designed, delivered, and improved. For more information on NCPES, click here.
4. Stand Up To Cancer returned on Friday with new campaign by Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK to drive awareness of NHS cancer screening programmes and raise funds for groundbreaking cancer research. Read more here.

And finally....we'd love to hear what you think of this podcast. We've got big plans for 2026 but this is your chance to shape what we cover! Click here to fill out our (very short) survey.

In this powerful episode of Taking Control of Cancer, the North East London Cancer Alliance shines a spotlight on prostate cancer, which is one of the most common cancers affecting men, yet one surrounded by silence, stigma, and late diagnosis.

Host Steve Bland welcomes two remarkable guests, Yinka and Mike, both prostate cancer survivors whose journeys have transformed them into advocates and community voices.

Through honesty and humour, they share how their diagnoses changed their lives, how they navigated treatment, and why they now dedicate their time to helping other men, especially those in diverse and underserved communities across north east London, recognise the importance of knowing their risk and getting checked early.

For more prostate cancer advice, check out the resources available at Prostate Cancer UK.

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In this episode, Steve Bland is joined by Sarah Koya, Patient Experience and Engagement Lead, at the North East London Cancer Alliance, and patients Samina Hussain and Dawn Williams to discuss the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) — an important national initiative that gives people living with and beyond cancer the opportunity to share their views on the care they receive.

The survey, commissioned by NHS England and conducted annually, is sent to patients who have received cancer treatment as an inpatient or outpatient during a specific period (April, May & June). It asks about every stage of the cancer journey, from diagnosis, tests, and treatment, through to support after care, giving patients the chance to share what went well and what could be improved.

The feedback from tens of thousands of patients across England helps the NHS understand what matters most to those affected by cancer. It plays a vital role in shaping how services are designed and delivered, from improving communication between healthcare teams, to ensuring timely diagnosis, better emotional support, and equitable access to care.

However, in North East London, as in other parts of the country, some communities are underrepresented in the survey responses, particularly patients from Black African and Caribbean backgrounds. This means that their voices and experiences may not be fully reflected in how services are improved, which is why encouraging greater participation from all communities is so important.

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