Yorkshire used to have a well-developed Cancer Network which allowed people affected by cancer and healthcare professionals to work together and decide how best to develop and deliver services. Patients played an active role and contributed to peer reviews as well as carrying out patient-led research.

However, in 2013, the Cancer Network was changed by the Government into the Strategic Clinical Network.
This new network didn’t just focus on cancer but looked at a whole range of long-term conditions such as mental health, cardiovascular disease and maternity services.

Investment in the cancer infrastructures gradually declined until, by the end of 2014, there were only a few individuals remaining as active participants in cancer service design and delivery.
The voice and influence of people affected by cancer on a Yorkshire-wide footprint began to decrease, with hospital Trust based participation groups following shortly behind. Newly-formed Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) patient panels were not cancer specific, where they existed at all.

In 2014, Macmillan Cancer Support began to support the newly formed Yorkshire Cancer Patient Forum. The Forum was initially made up of members from the old Cancer Network, who believed that people affected by cancer should have their say on services.
The new Forum carried out a survey of local self-help and support groups, of individuals affected by cancer, and of people involved in delivering services and found overwhelming support for the development of the Forum.

The Forum grew from strength to strength and in March 2015 received a small amount of funding from Macmillan User Involvement Grant Stream to develop a website and to host events to bring like-minded people together.

By early 2017 HealthWatch Wakefield had successfully applied to Macmillan Cancer Support to fund a worker to support the Yorkshire Cancer Patient Forum.

For three years, Macmillan, Healthwatch Wakefield and the Forum worked in partnership to rebuild user involvement from grass roots levels and to ensure the voice of patients was at the heart of cancer service design and improvement – a sentiment echoed by the NHS Five Year Forward View.

During that time the Forum, in consultation with its membership, changed its name to Yorkshire Cancer Community, a name which was felt to more effectively describe this unique network of patients, carers and professionals working within cancer services and charities, covering all of Yorkshire and the Humber.

In October 2019, Yorkshire Cancer Community became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, and in March 2020, Macmillan funding ceased. The Charity Trustees successfully took on the employment of Engagement & Communications Officer Jill Long, who was TUPED across from Healthwatch and funding was secured from several sources.