For World Cancer Day 2023 (4 February), TVCA details how we are working towards ‘closing the cancer care gap’ to ensure everyone in the region gets the treatment they need.
GP and Cancer Allies Clinical Lead, Dr Salman Waqar says: “Addressing health inequalities in cancer care is one of the important priorities for TVCA. Our Cancer Allies programme develops close working relationships with community groups whose members may experience barriers to cancer care. Reasons for these obstacles may be ethnicity, religious, cultural, housing, language, learning disabilities, or gender identity issues.
“Using digital media, local media coverage, and by joining community and faith group meetings, we alert people to the early symptoms and risks of different cancers, and encourage them to always contact their GP with any concerns. The key message is that early diagnosis saves lives.”
In 2019 in the Thames Valley, late diagnosis of cancer was still high, with over 42% of diagnosis at stage three and four [gov.uk]. The pandemic recovery plan and the health inequalities programme are part of the drive to reduce this and to ‘close the cancer care gap’ and improve cancer outcomes.
Working with communities
Salman Waqar continues: “In 2022 we talked to community and faith groups about prostate and breast cancers at their meetings. We also met people with learning disabilities, and their carers, at events where we could let them know how to access cancer screening, such as cervical and breast screening, and why it is important that they don’t miss these invitations. We’re also in touch with a charity in Leicestershire that has invented new underwear that has encouraged many more Black women to have their cervical screening, to see if we can do the same in the Thames Valley region.
“We’re also producing videos about the seven cancer diagnostic tests in English and four other languages which are common to our region, to demystify the diagnosis process for patients from many communities. It’s all part of breaking down barriers, closing the gap, and improving outcomes.
“In 2023 we’re extending our Cancer Allies programme to work with members of the LGBTQ+ communities. We know that gender identity can sometimes prevent people from contacting their GP, and we want to encourage them come forward and get any possible cancer symptoms they are worried about, checked out.
“It’s better for every person, their friends and family, and for the NHS, that we diagnose cancer as early as possible – so never be anxious about contacting your GP about concerns.”
Any community or outreach organisation that would like to work with the TVCA Cancer Allies programme is welcome to contact us. By working together to tackle health inequalities, we can close the cancer care gap.