Rooted in community. Driven by experience.
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Northern Cancer Voices is a patient-led charity representing people impacted by cancer across North East and North Cumbria. We collaborate with communities that are often under-represented in formal engagement, using trusted relationships and culturally safe conversations to gather insight, influence services and support access to care.
We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our incredible team, trustees and volunteers who are all dedicated to the work we do.
Northern Cancer Voices always focuses on what matters most to people affected by cancer. Everything we do is guided by three clear promises, which shape the support we offer and the changes we help bring about across cancer services.
What it means: Cancer can feel overwhelming, and no one should feel alone. Cancer
Connect is our promise to listen, guide, and support people through every part of
their cancer journey.
How we do this:
Why it matters: When people feel heard and supported, they are more confident, better informed, and less anxious. This leads to better experiences and better outcomes.
What it means: Everyone deserves fair and easy access to cancer care. Access to Care is our promise to make sure no one is left behind, especially people who face barriers because of their postcode, backgroound, income, or personal situation.
How we do this:
Why it matters: Better navigation and fair access mean earlier diagnosis, smoother treatment, and less stress during a difficult time.
What it means: People with lived experienece know what works and what doesn’t. Lived Experience to Impact is our promise to make sure their voices shape how cancer services are planned, improved, and delivered.
How we do this:
Why it matters: When lived experience guides decisions, services become kinder, clearer, and more responsive, because they are built on when real people need.
By 2029, Northern Cancer Voices will be the recognised regional voice of people impacted by cancer, shaping equitable, person-centred care from neighbourhood to national level.
To amplify lived experience, reduce inequalities, and shape cancer services through trusted relationships, community-rooted engagement and partnership working. Rooted in community. Driven by experience
Our core ways of working are to deliver in the following areas. This aligns with the strategic ambitions of partners across the health system, including the Northern Cancer Alliance ambition for working together and in partnership with the public, across the North East & North Cumbria to deliver their workplan and NHS England’s Cancer Programme ensuring there is a commitment and structure for engaging with people and communities.
Attending and hosting events to provide advice and information. Signposting services to raise awareness. Promoting the work we do in the community, recruiting volunteers in each area we cover. This ensures that the volunteers are representative of the community in which they are working.
Meeting with anyone impacted by a cancer diagnosis, engaging with them in their community to listen to their experiences. This allows NCV to understand the voice of the public by listening to those with a lived experience including family and friends and using those experiences to influence positive change. NCV will also proactively identify under-represented groups of patients actively seeking ways to reach out to them with the support of experienced local groups. Or where identified work to set up additional support groups.
Collating and disseminating structured information and intelligence which can be shared with service providers to promote service improvement. Working in partnership with the system via the cancer governance infrastructure to seek the views of members of the public in relation to specific projects.
Keep up to date with our achievements and plans for the future by viewing our annual reports and general meetings.
