Health inequality is a major problem in the UK. Getting the appropriate information to all the diverse communities is one of the main difficulties. Our outreach work aims to improve access to cancer information for everyone.
Our UK-wide black and minority ethnic outreach work ensures that we provide cancer information services that are accessible and relevant to everyone in our multicultural society.
Language and culture can often act as a barrier to receiving much-needed health information. Callers to our freephone helpline can speak to our nurses in any language via our free interpreting service.
There are many issues, other than language, that prevent people from different ethnic backgrounds from accessing information. We work with the African-Caribbean, Chinese and South Asian communities to help break down cultural barriers. We give out cancer information, talk to community groups, and listen to people to find out how we can better meet their needs.
Outreach work in Scotland has its own unique set of challenges. Mortality rates are among the highest in the world for cancer, and life expectancy is generally lower than in other European Union countries. People in these communities do not have easy access to information about health issues and services.
Our Cancer Information Outreach Specialist was recruited in July 2004, funded with the aid of a grant from the New Opportunities Fund Scotland, (now the Big Lottery Fund). His role is to ensure that Scotland’s diverse population knows about our services, and to consult people about how we can adapt and enhance our services to ensure equal access for all.
We work hard to ensure we are accessible to people who live in remote, rural or deprived areas; to people with disabilities; and to people affected by other barriers such as language.
‘After learning that African-Caribbean men like me have a greater risk of prostate problems, I went for tests and found I had prostate cancer. I read all the CancerBACUP information and am going to tell all my friends about the symptoms and urge them to get a checkup too.’
Patient, originally from St Kitts