Pioneering prostate cancer project in the spotlight at London event
Delegates at one the UK’s biggest digital health events were shown how North West Secure Data Environment is supporting pioneering research into prostate cancer.
The presentation at the HETT Show (Healthcare Excellence Through Technology) showcased the ground-breaking Prostate Progress project, which is seeking to revolutionise prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and care.
Established two years ago, Prostate Progress is an innovative research project that combines clinical data with patients’ real-life experiences to provide unique insights into the disease, which is now the most common cancer in England and the second most common cause of cancer death among men in the UK.
Along with the charity Prostate Cancer Research, North West Secure Data Environment (SDE) is working on the project with West Midlands, London, Wessex, North East and North Cumbria, Yorkshire and Humber and Eastern SDEs.
At HETT Show 2026, held at the ExCeL London on September 29-30, North West SDE’s Head of Operations, Dr. Zharain Bawa, and its Head of Tech and Data, Helen Duckworth, hosted a presentation on the project and its achievements so far.
The session – staged in the event’s Infrastructure, Data and Cyber Security Theatre – highlighted how North West SDE and its partners were enabling researchers to access and analyse data across multiple NHS organisations while maintaining the highest standards of privacy, governance and public trust.
By connecting data at scale, delegates were told, the project is creating opportunities to understand patient journeys, identify unwarranted variation, generate evidence to improve clinical decision-making, and ultimately support better patient outcomes.
By the end of 2026-27, Prostate Progress will have matured into a fully operational integrated research infrastructure with clinical data drawn from across England – delivering tangible value to the NHS, academic and commercial partners alike.
Speaking after the presentation, Dr Zharain Bawa said:
“Prostate Progress is a truly ground-breaking research project with the potential to revolutionise the way prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.
“It was fantastic to have the opportunity to showcase the project at the HETT Show and highlight the pivotal role that we and our fellow SDEs are playing, alongside colleagues at Prostate Cancer Research, to support this research.
“In doing so, we were also able to illustrate how secure access to routinely collected NHS data can accelerate research timelines, support innovation and create a foundation for future research into cancer and other major health conditions.”