Head and Neck Cancer Coalition

15/06/2026

We are pleased to announce that Barbara Fountain has been appointed Interim Chair of the Head and Neck Cancer Coalition UK for a six-month period.

Barbara is the Founder and CEO of YoungTongues and has been involved with the Coalition since its inception. She brings lived experience of head and neck cancer alongside extensive experience in patient advocacy, charity leadership and collaboration across the cancer sector.

During her term, Barbara will lead the recruitment of a new Board of Trustees that reflects the breadth of the UK head and neck cancer community, bringing together lived experience, clinical expertise, research knowledge and other key skills.

"With the publication of the National Cancer Plan, we have a unique opportunity to ensure the voices of people affected by head and neck cancer are represented in its delivery. By bringing patients, charities, clinicians, researchers and other stakeholders together, we can help ensure future policy and NHS services reflect the real needs of the communities we serve."

12/06/2026

The Head and Neck Cancer Coalition UK was honoured to present a poster at BAHNO 2026 showcasing the National Head and Neck Cancer Audit (NaHaNCA) Feasibility Study.

This important work represents a major step towards establishing a new national clinical audit for head and neck cancer in England. The study highlights key challenges facing patients, including late-stage diagnosis, inequalities in care, treatment delays and variation in outcomes across the country.

The Coalition was proud to contribute to this project alongside the NaHaNCA research team, helping to ensure that patient voice and lived experience remained central throughout the study.

The poster provides a useful summary of the interim findings and the potential for a future national audit to improve care and outcomes for head and neck cancer patients.

Download the Patient and Public Summary Report and BAHNO poster via the link below.
https://loom.ly/UByFrVc

11/06/2026

Today, the Head & Neck Cancer Coalition UK is proud to share the release of the Patient & Public Summary of the National Head & Neck Cancer Audit (NaHaNCA) Feasibility Study Interim Report.

This important work highlights inequalities in care, late diagnosis, treatment delays and variations in survival outcomes across head and neck cancer services in England. It represents a significant step towards the development of a future national audit that can help drive improvements in care and outcomes for patients.

As a coalition representing the collective voice of the head and neck cancer community, we were pleased to contribute lived experience and patient insight throughout the project, helping to ensure that the perspectives of patients remain central to this important work.

We encourage patients, carers, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers to read the report and consider the opportunities it presents for improving head and neck cancer care across the UK.

Read the full report:
https://loom.ly/UByFrVc

18/11/2023

📣 Would you like to help shape a new innovative screening tool for Head and Neck cancers?

Get involved here:
https://latest.oraclecancertrust.org/p/7L1L-191/ppisurveycurenetics

Your opinion matters to us. By sharing your thoughts you can be in with the chance of winning a £100 shopping voucher of your choice. Survey run by Oracle Cancer Trust

On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 completly disagree and 10 being completly agree) which best describes your perception of AI and its application in health care:

18/11/2023

Did you know that YoungTongues have a podcast? Well they do! Launched earlier this year the podcast is all about our marvellous and magnificent tongues! For a long time, they couldn't talk...but now, they have a lot to say! Available on all major platforms

17/11/2023

November is mouth cancer awareness month and many coalition members are trying to raise public awareness of this awful disease. There are two key issues: the annual number of cases is rising and many patients only present for diagnosis and treatment when the disease is advanced and difficult to cure.

17/11/2023

7 years later and Trev’s still here, “life is a bit different but it’s all manageable. I can honestly say that it does get better over time and thank goodness for my missus to make it just that little bit easier. There is lots of help and advice out there with NALC being top of my list.”

https://hncuk.org/peoples-stories/tale-of-a-survivor/

02/11/2023

2 Nov 2023 - The Oral Health Foundation and Portman-Dentex are urging parents to make sure their children receive a vaccination that could save their life by preventing a range of deadly cancers.

31/10/2023

27/10/2023

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Rydym yn falch iawn o allu cynnig is-deitlau Cymraeg ar ein fideo gwirio cartref canser y geg, diolch i wirfoddolwr caredig o Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru.
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We're really pleased to be able to offer Welsh subtitles on our mouth cancer home check video, thanks to a kind volunteer from Public Health Wales.

Use this link to see for yourself! https://youtu.be/_6csIJAWj_s?feature=shared