Improving Access to Cancer Care for People with Sight and Hearing Loss
Involving People are working with Wessex Cancer Alliance to improve access to cancer treatment and support services for people with sight and hearing loss by putting lived experience at the heart of change.
Building on our track record of peer‑led research and quality improvement, this project uses Participatory Action Research to involve people with lived experience as equal partners. Community researchers with sight and hearing loss will help shape the work, share their experiences of cancer care, and co‑produce practical solutions to reduce barriers and improve outcomes.
Evidence shows that people with sensory impairments experience significantly poorer access to cancer services, including inaccessible information, communication barriers, and feeling unheard or overlooked. These inequalities can lead to delayed diagnosis, poorer treatment experiences, and worse health outcomes. This project focuses on addressing these issues by translating what people already know works into meaningful, system‑level improvements.
The work will be delivered in partnership with NHS services, voluntary and community organisations, and people with lived experience. Opensight, a specialist charity supporting visually impaired people, will be a key delivery partner, bringing their expertise and strong community links to ensure the voices of visually impaired people are fully included.
What the project will deliver:
- Co‑produced solutions to improve cancer services for people with sight and hearing loss
- A clear, accessible summary report setting out key challenges and practical recommendations for change
- A toolkit for cancer care teams, including checklists, advice and signposting to support inclusive, accessible care
This project reflects Involving People’s commitment to co‑production, inclusion and reducing health inequalities by ensuring that people most affected by barriers to care are directly involved in designing the solutions.
If you would like to find out more about this work, email us at involvingpeople@helpandcare.org.uk