2023 Head & Neck Cancer Conference Guide Book

RESIDENT
Fahida Rehman, Clinical Nurse Specialist
and Samantha Gregory, Speech and
Language Therapist being honoured
with the accolade of becoming Swallows
charity patrons, giving them the privilege
of supporting and championing the
charity’s incredible work and continuing
to make a meaningful difference in the
lives of those we serve.
Welcome
to Torbaydos
Welcome to the English Riviera and this
year’s Swallows Head and Neck cancer
conference here in Torbaydos. It is a
fantastic honour to host this conference
and we will do our very best to live up to
it. South Devon is a fantastic place to live,
work and play.
I started my consultant job here in
Torbay in 2007 and started my family
shortly after and have no regrets about
either. I said a moment earlier that “we
will do our very best to live up to it”,
because it is so important to recognise
that “we” are a team. It is undoubtably
a tough job but rewarding beyond
compare. The colleagues I work with
are some of the most wonderful people
I know and it as honour to have them
not just as colleagues but as friends. I
would hope that all those here know
what a multidisciplinary team (MDT) is
and the pride and trust we have in ours,
I believe, means that it is rewarding and
when the going gets tough we are able
to support each other. I am also very
much aware that the MDT is not just
clinical staff and I am incredibly lucky to
have such amazing administrative and
management colleagues as well, who go
the extra mile on a daily basis.
I also believe that as a functioning caring
and thoughtful team we can provide the
best, most up to date, successful and
kind service for all those who need us.
We are also very much aware that not
only do we learn from each other, but
we learn from our head and neck cancer
patients, their care givers, friends and
relatives. Essentially every day is a school
day and I am not sure if the next couple
of days are lessons, revision, exams or
parents evening! Whatever way you look
at it I am sure the conference will be
both fun and informative
As you are here today, I can only presume
you know what the Swallows Charity is
about and as a head and neck surgeon it
seems to encompass the vast majority of
my job! It is about helping those affected
by head and neck cancer along a long,
hard and quite often brutal journey. I
don’t need to tell you how tough the
journey is. For some it takes a few years,
for many it is for the rest of their lives.
As a result of our collaborative work
with the Swallows Charity our head and
neck cancer patients in Torbay benefit
from the south west’s first patient-led
Swallows support group. Stemming
from this initiative we developed a
partnership and direct linking with
Lowell General Hospital in Boston,
USA; the first NHS trust in the UK to do
so. The aim is to twin and refine best
practice for both head and neck cancer
service departments. This also led to
Our patients in Torbay also now have the
opportunity to receive a revolutionary
form of radiotherapy, as we have recently
opened a clinical research trial called
ToRPEdo, where our patients benefit
from proton beam therapy, giving them
an excellent opportunity to have access
to world class treatment. This is co-led
by The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
based in Manchester and The Institute
of Cancer Research in London. The trial
will determine whether the use of proton
beam therapy reduces long-term side
effects and improves quality of life for
people treated with radiotherapy for
oropharyngeal cancer.
Added to this drive in providing
advancing treatment in head and neck
cancer, our patients in Torbay are also
benefiting from our 14-day Pathway
from Decision to Treat to Radiotherapy.
Since implementing the new pathway
in October 2017 our findings have shown
that for most patients the pathway is
achievable and maintainable despite the
significant pressures within the NHS. In
view of the success and potential benefit,
we would strongly encourage other
centres to consider adopting a similar
approach in their departments.
This conference will bring together
experts, researchers, healthcare
professionals, and individuals passionate
about head and neck cancer care. Our
aim is to create a platform for sharing
knowledge, fostering collaboration, and
advancing the field of head and neck
cancer and research. Throughout the
conference, you will have the opportunity
to hear from inspirational international
speakers, leading experts in the field.
They will be sharing the latest research
findings, treatment strategies, and
advancements diagnostic techniques.
We encourage you to actively participate
in discussions, ask questions, and
exchange your ideas with fellow
attendees.
We want to express our gratitude to
our sponsors, exhibitors and all the
individuals who have contributed to
making this conference possible. Your
support plays a crucial role in advancing
the fight again head and neck cancer.
We hope you find this event enriching
and inspiring. Together we can make
significant strides in improving the
lives of those affected. Thank you once
again for being part of this important
event. Let’s make the most of our time
in Torquay and work towards a brighter
future in head and neck cancer care.
PHILIP REECE
ENT / Head & Neck Consultant
& 2023 Conference President
6 HEAD & NECK CANCER CONFERENCE 2023
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