Project Name: Optimising patient access to neuroendocrine tumor (NET) therapies project

Project Summary: 

This project was originally a collaboration between Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (KCH) and Advanced Accelerator Applications (UK & Ireland) Ltd (a Novartis group company) (“AdAcAp”). In May 2024, as part of an internal reorganisation within the Novartis group of companies, the CWA was novated from AdAcAp to Novartis. 

The vision is to enhance care for patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Initially a two-year Collaborative Working Project (CWP), it was formalised via a Collaborative Working Agreement (CWA) in March 2023. Its primary goal Is to support referring centres understand the process and logistics of providing treatment to people with NETs through education programs and impact patients quality of life (QoL) data. This is to be achieved through the recruitment a NETs Fellow (ST5 level), supported by PA assistance, computer access, and office space, to streamline service delivery.

The original project scope focused on:

  • Improving access to a range of radionuclide therapy for patients in local hospitals via education
  • Supporting CNS and nuclear medicine teams by coordinating scans, blood tests, and appointments.
  • Optimising treatment processes to increase to the number of patients treated .

The fellow’s responsibilities include improving patient pathways, promoting education, coordinating care to reduce travel, reviewing patients between cycles, and collecting QoL and experience data.

In May 2025, the project was extended by 12 months due to ongoing needs and a recruitment freeze. The extension added:

  • Six additional educational events.
  • QoL data capture at three key points: before clinic, before and after treatment

The project now spans 22 December 2022 to 22 May 2027 (53 months), including a three-month wrap-up. The Fellow role, started in February 2024, continues through February 2027.

Success measures include:

  • Reduced time from MDT decision to treatment.
  • Increased patients being reviewed and treated
  • Improved patient satisfaction and QoL scores.

This project marks a major step forward in NET care across South-East England. Through collaboration, dedicated staffing, and a focus on education and experience, it aims to improve access, efficiency, and outcomes. The extension ensures continuity and positions the KHP NET Centre as a model for excellence.

Expected Benefits: 

For Patients

  • Reduction in time to treatment from a decision to treat.
  • Enhanced and improved experience for patients and their carers from Kings Hospital London, reducing travel and improving access to locally available specialist.
  • Improved treatment information and access to a range of radionuclide therapies.

For the Organisation

  • Increased awareness of nuclear medicine therapy availability, treatment pathways and improved molecular radiotherapy treatment capacity.
  • Improve overall quality of care and ensure greater equity of access to molecular radiotherapies for eligible patients.
  • The project shall improve the interface for remote consultations and hub and spoke management so that complex patients remain under the care of Kings (Hub) and those that are less complex be transferred to their local trust (spoke).
  • Reduction in geographical variation in therapy use.

For Novartis

  • As more patients are reviewed there will be increased access to Nuclear Medicine Therapies (which may include Novartis Therapies). This will be in line with national and local guidelines, where appropriate, leading to improved patient care.
  • An increased reputation as a partner.

Start Date & Duration: Start date: March 2023. 

Expected Duration: initially for 2 years, but extended by a further 12 months in July 2025 (so 3 years in total)

FA-11484403 | August 2025