We are committed to delivering the highest standards of care for local breast cancer patients and are proud to be working with the UK's leading breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, through its Service Pledge initiative to improve local breast cancer services.
For over 20 years the Service Pledge – jointly sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, and Roche Products Ltd (2025/26) - has brought together patients, healthcare professionals and Cancer Alliances to create positive changes in breast cancer care.
The Service Pledge is the only breast cancer specific patient involvement and service improvement programme in the UK, putting patients and their experiences at the heart of improving their care.
As part of the Service Pledge, our three NHS Trusts - Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trusts - will work collaboratively with Breast Cancer Now over the next 18 months. During this time, patients living with both primary and metastatic breast cancer will be invited to share their experiences of care through patient surveys and workshops. We will work collaboratively with our three NHS Trusts, Breast Cancer Now and local patients to co-design improvements to the breast cancer services around what matters most to patients.
Karen O’Brien, 52, from Camberwell in South East London, chose to become a patient representative following her own diagnosis with breast cancer, and treatment at King’s College Hospital.
As part of the work with the Service Pledge programme, Karen will attend regular meetings and workshops, and make sure that the patient perspective has a strong bearing on any learnings and improvement plans.
Karen said: “My message to patients is that their experience is unique and at times, painful – but also important and empowering. You’ve become part of a community that you never wanted to be part of. Your voice will be valuable to people starting this journey. Always remember the scared and alone person you were at first and what would have helped you feel more supported. Being a patient representative has given me a voice and has been really empowering. I’d encourage anyone to get involved.”
Mr Kislaya Thakur, Consultant Breast Surgeon at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and Clinical Chair of SELCA Breast Cancer Pathway Group, said: “We’re really looking forward to working with Breast Cancer Now and involving all of the Trusts across the alliance in delivering its important Service Pledge programme. It’s great that the programme places patients at the heart of sharing experiences and shaping improvements – their voices are incredibly valuable so that we can ensure that everyone with breast cancer in South East London is receiving high quality, patient-centred care.”
Claire Rowney, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “It’s brilliant that South East London Cancer Alliance has signed up to our Service Pledge to achieve the very best standards of care for people with breast cancer in South East London.
“By supporting patients and healthcare professionals to work together to share experiences, the programme will help to improve the services that teams provide, and to ensure patients receive the very best care.
“I am confident the patient-led service improvements that will be implemented at South East London Cancer Alliance as a result of this work will deliver positive changes to improve the lives of people diagnosed and living with breast cancer.”