The Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon & Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance is the forum to bring providers and commissioners together with patients, to co-design services to optimise pathways, ensure effective integration and address variation, and are the vehicle that leads the activity required at a local level to meet the 2023/24 ambitions set out by the Cancer Taskforce.
The Cancer Alliance puts clinical leaders across primary, secondary, and tertiary care in the driving seat for improving quality and outcomes across cancer pathways, based on shared data and metrics. Continuing to deliver the strategy and its programmes will require committed leadership, smart choices around investing to save, and a firm intent to try new approaches and test new models of care.
Our Priorities
Early Diagnosis
Early Diagnosis
Faster Diagnosis
Faster Diagnosis
High Quality Modern Services
High Quality Modern Services
Patient Experience
Patient Experience
Personalised Care
Personalised Care
Latest news
The Challenge As cancer survival rates are improving, the NHS is exploring new innovative options of immunotherapy with the aim to reduce recurrence. NHS England has set a target to recruit 10,000 patients with different types of cancer into studies of personalised cancer vaccines by 2030; this project went live in…
SWAG Cancer Alliance and Bristol Royal Hospital for Children are proud to announce a new partnership focused on improving care for children with cancer across the South West. The project will explore how more treatments, particularly chemotherapy, can be delivered on an outpatient or ambulatory basis, reducing the need for…
Across SWAG Cancer Alliance, we are proud to announce the launch of seven new innovation projects funded through our Cancer Innovation Programme, run in partnership with Health Innovation West of England. These projects, selected through a competitive open call, are designed to accelerate earlier and faster cancer diagnosis across our…
For International Youth Day, we caught up with Youth Support Coordinator at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre (BHOC), Charlie Wadman, to discuss the unique challenges that teenagers and young people face when diagnosed with cancer. Charlie supports teenagers and young adults aged 16 to 24, helping them navigate the emotional, social, and…
Today, on World Lung Cancer Day, we are proud to share the story of Liz, whose life was changed by a simple letter through the post. In November 2024, Liz received an invitation to attend a lung health check. She’d often joked with her husband about her “left lung playing…
We are proud to launch ‘Days Matter’ – a bold new 100-day initiative aimed at improving cancer outcomes by tackling avoidable delays across the entire cancer pathway. In cancer care, time is critical. Delays at any stage, whether in referral, diagnosis, treatment, or follow-up, can have a significant impact on…
Published: July 2025 Patients across the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire (SWAG) Cancer Alliance have rated their cancer care 9 out of 10, according to the latest National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES). This strong result reflects the dedication of staff across the region and SWAG’s ongoing commitment to improving cancer care for everyone. …
As part of Good Care Month, we’re shining a light on the often unseen but vital roles that shape cancer care across the South West. One such role is that of the Lead Cancer Nurse (LCN) — a strategic, system-shaping position that plays a key part in improving patient experience,…
