Health inequalities persist across the entire cancer pathway, disproportionately affecting individuals from underserved communities. These disparities manifest in poorer access to services, negative care experiences, and lower survival rates.
In the UK, cancer death rates are nearly 60% higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived, equating to around 28,400 excess deaths annually, or 78 deaths every day linked to socioeconomic inequality. Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death, is particularly affected, with mortality rates in deprived areas almost three times higher than in affluent ones. [Source: cancerresearchuk.org]
Ethnic disparities also exist. While early-stage cancer diagnosis rates are slightly higher among Asian and Black populations than the national average, people from minority ethnic groups often report worse experiences of cancer care and lower survival rates for certain cancers.
Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon, and Gloucestershire (SWAG) Cancer Alliance is committed to addressing these inequities through strategic collaboration with the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector. By empowering communities and enabling grassroots organisations, we aim to co-create solutions that improve equity of access to cancer care. This work is grounded in community engagement, partnership building, and a shared ambition to understand and dismantle the barriers that prevent people from receiving timely and effective support.
Objectives
- Understand local needs through meaningful community engagement.
- Identify and address barriers to accessing cancer care, especially among underserved populations.
- Empower communities to use their assets and skills to co-create solutions.
- Support grassroots innovation by funding community-led projects.
- Collaborate with healthcare teams to improve service accessibility and inclusivity.
- Generate insights through collaboration and shared learning with VCFSE partners.
- Develop case studies to inform best practice and support future partnership models.
What have we done so far
Empowering our communities
- Expanded collaboration with Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) groups.
- Co-designed a survey with Healthwatch and VCFSE partners aimed at understanding existing barriers to healthcare, particularly targeted at underserved communities.
- Launched a Small Grants Scheme for grassroots and VCFSE organisations to bid for future funding for community-led projects that focus on tackling health inequalities and improving access to cancer care.
Leadership and Governance
- Members of Senior Leadership Team participated in CORE20PLUS5 Ambassador Programme.
- Health inequalities objectives were embedded into staff appraisals.
- Dedicated roles for communications, engagement, and health inequalities were introduced.
Data-driven tools
- Developed a Health Inequalties Dashboard to identify gaps in access and outcomes, and guide targeted interventions and resource allocation to improve early diagnosis.
Share or take part in our Healthwatch Survey
We have partnered with Healthwatch to uncover inequalities and barriers people face to accessing cancer care, to help us better understand how our services can be improved.
The survey is open to anyone who has experience with cancer services, and we are particularly looking to hear from those who may face additional barriers, such as people with disabilities, refugees, people living in deprived or rural areas, travellers, LGBTQ+ communities, etc. We want to hear what challenges or barriers are faced when it comes to accessing cancer services, whether screening, diagnosis or treatment.
