Shortly after the publication of the long-anticipated NHS long term workforce plan which pledged to train more staff, an innovative, first-of-its-kind fellowship programme has announced its first two individuals.
Dr Morag Brothwell and Dr Sean Main will be the first two fellows to undergo 12 months of high-quality neuro-oncology training thanks to the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission.
The training will be completed at King’s Health Partners and University College London Hospital – two Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence.
The programme will give its first participants an appreciation for the breadth of comprehensive brain tumour management as well as the tools necessary to affect real change in future clinical trials.
The programme has been launched to work against workforce shortages in the brain tumour field – the officials behind the programme hope it can be expanded into more specialties like neuroradiologists, pathologists and allied health professionals in the future.
The Tessa Jowell Foundation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research are co-funding the programme.
The first two fellows were selected after an extensive evaluation process that assessed Dr Brothwell and Dr Main’s scientific acumen, research potential and commitment to tackling the challenges faced by patients suffering from brain tumours.
Dr Brothwell currently works at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge while Dr Main is currently stationed at University Hospital Southampton.
Dr Sarah Jefferies, who is the programme’s lead, said: “Spearheaded by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, the brain tumour community has worked hard to show that neuro-oncology is an attractive career path for clinicians who are looking for a challenging disease area, on the cusp of exciting and promising breakthroughs.
“The Fellowship programme is the perfect launchpad for emerging talent to build a clinical career dedicated to helping patients with complex needs while also becoming the leaders of ground-breaking future clinical trials.”
Image credit: iStock
