Backing a new Major National Audit

Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK Backs Major Review to Address Growing Crisis in Diagnosis and Treatment

We’re proud to announce that Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK is backing a major national audit to address the urgent crisis in head and neck cancer care.

With patient numbers increasing by 30% per decade, head and neck cancer remains one of the most common – yet often undetected – cancers. Many patients face late-stage diagnoses, significantly impacting their quality of life.

We’ve donated £40,000 towards this essential two-year review, which aims to identify key areas for improvement in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. The Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK national audit covers the entire United Kingdom, which includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Audit is long overdue

Tamara Kahn, CEO of Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK, says: “The news about treatment waiting times highlights the need for immediate action. This review will help address the disparities in care across the UK and ultimately improve thousands of lives.”

Professor Vin Paleri, Consultant Head and Neck Surgeon at The Royal Marsden Hospitals, adds: “The lack of a comprehensive national audit for head and neck cancers over the past decade is unacceptable. This process is long overdue and absolutely critical.

“As clinicians, we need this data to drive best practices, reduce treatment disparities, define research strategies and ultimately save lives. Head and neck cancers are uniquely devastating, impacting patients’ ability to speak, eat, and interact socially. We have a responsibility to ensure every patient receives timely, optimal care.”

This comprehensive review will be led by Dr Thomas Cowling, associate professor in health services research and clinical epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Respected organisations support the audit

It is supported by charities and medical specialists including the British Association of Head & Neck Oncology (BAHNO), the British Association of Head & Neck Oncology Nurses (BAHNON), ENT-UK, North West Cancer Research (NWCR), the National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs, Get-A-Head Charity, Restorative Dentistry UK (RD-UK) and the Head & Neck Cancer Coalition, which includes Oracle Head & Neck Cancer UK.

For more information on this vital project and how we’re making a difference in this area please read the article in The Dental Review News.

Oracle is committed to funding pioneering research, supporting patients and their families, and driving change to ensure that no one faces this devastating disease alone. Together with other charities and medical specialists, we’re working to create a better future for those affected.