TVCA’s ambitions for 2024+ include ‘levelling-up’ cancer care for groups and communities with our Cancer Allies programme.

Today marks the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of people from the West Indies, on the Empire Windrush, to help re-build post-war Britain.  This week is also Learning Disability Week.

On Windrush Day we recognise the contribution to UK society of all our migrant communities.  And during Learning Disability Week we consider the incredible things that people with a learning disability achieve, but also the stigma many still face.

In the NHS we also consider the barriers to healthcare that people from various groups continue to experience. This includes those from British African-Caribbean communities and those with learning disabilities,

Reducing health inequalities means we address the reasons why people may be socially excluded.  We need to consider access and barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care.  At TVCA a key focus is levelling-up inequalities in cancer care.

Collaboration

The TVCA Cancer Allies programme develops close working relationships with groups that have links with communities that are under-represented in cancer care.  This includes BAME groups, people with learning disabilities, and those from inclusion health groups, including people affected by poverty, violence, or complex trauma.

Through our Cancer Allies we are working to ensure that no less than 75% of cancers are diagnosed at Stage 1 or 2 by 2028 – as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.

Dr Salman Waqar, the TVCA Cancer Allies Clinical Lead says:

“To ensure our health inequalities activity addresses the greatest need, TVCA has adapted the NHS national Core20Plus5 approach to the local needs of our Thames Valley region.

“Data shows us that the most deprived groups in our region also have the lowest number of cancer referrals.  So our activity focuses on the most deprived 20% of the TVCA population, ‘plus’ those population groups most likely to experience inequalities in cancer services and outcomes.

“For the TVCA ‘5’, we’re prioritising awareness messaging and resources to those cancers which data shows were the most common cancer types amongst patients in the most deprived groups.”

Days, weeks, and through the year

So although today is Windrush Day and it is Learning Disability Week, at TVCA we work consistently through the year to improve the access to, and experience of, cancer care for everyone in the Thames Valley.

Could you be one of the TVCA Cancer Allies? Find out more about how our Allies programme works and what it has achieved so far.

Issued: 22/6/2023 NRL-030-01-WINDRUSH_LD-JUN23.jaa