Reducing cancer inequalities for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

The North East London Cancer Alliance has recently completed a piece of work, in partnership with Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) and the Roma Support Group (RSG) to address persistent inequalities in cancer prevention, screening and early diagnosis experienced by GRT communities.

Key to the success of this was recruiting and training 13 Health Champions from across Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities.

The Champions completed Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications and attended a series of cancer awareness workshops covering signs and symptoms, screening pathways and signposting for breast, bowel, cervical, lung and testicular cancers.

On 14 May 2025, the Health Champions joined a live webinar with health workers across North East London, including colleagues from the ICB and Public Health teams, to share the wider programme of work.

This was followed by a programme of cultural awareness sessions for frontline healthcare staff working with GRT communities, including social prescribers, GP staff, and professionals from secondary care cancer and screening services.

FFT, RSG and the Health Champions co-delivered these sessions, focusing on lived experience, barriers to access and how to deliver culturally considered healthcare. Feedback was extremely positive, with one GP describing the sessions as “one of the best educational services delivered”. A recording of the webinar is now available on the NEL Cancer Academy training hub and the video can be found here:

https://youtu.be/A5IODqrXX2A?si=Ql3l6hfsU8jGGABB

Since completing the programme, the Health Champions have continued to contribute across the system:

·      Fed directly into the development of the NELCA Cancer Inequalities Strategy

·      Supported the creation of culturally appropriate Roma cancer awareness materials

·      Contributed to wider local and national public health initiatives throughout 2026.

Making an impact

The project evaluation has shown significant shifts in knowledge, confidence and capability among Health Champions. Before training, only 25% of Champions rated themselves as “very aware” of available health services; following the programme, this increased to 92%, with no Champions reporting low or uncertain awareness.

Confidence talking about cancer screening rose from 58% before training to 92% after, while confidence in supporting others to navigate screening pathways increased from 50% to 92%.

Knowledge of cancer screening eligibility also improved markedly. Prior to training, only 50% of Champions correctly identified eligibility for cervical screening, 25% for breast screening and none for bowel screening. After training, 92% correctly identified eligibility for both breast and cervical screening, and 73% for bowel screening.

By the end of the programme, 100% of Champions reported feeling able to make positive lifestyle choices for their own health.

The evaluation also identified strong early impacts within GRT communities. Champions reported sharing information through everyday conversations with family, friends and wider networks, supporting people to understand screening invitations, attend appointments and navigate GP registration.

These peer-led interactions generated early “community multiplier” effects, with Champions describing increased openness around cancer, reduced fear and stigma, and tangible changes such as relatives attending checks or making healthier lifestyle choices.

For healthcare professionals, the cultural awareness training delivered alongside the Health Champion programme led to measurable improvements in understanding. Before attending training, only 5% of staff rated their awareness of GRT communities as good or expert; after training, this increased to 56%.

Average self-reported awareness scores rose from 2.1 to 3.4 out of 5. Staff reported improved understanding of GRT history, culture and discrimination, alongside increased confidence in adapting communication, avoiding assumptions and delivering more inclusive care. Hearing directly from Health Champions was consistently highlighted as the most impactful element of the training.

Nikki Poland, Project Manager, North East London Cancer Alliance, said: “The evaluation shows that a peer-led, community-based approach can deliver rapid and meaningful improvements in health knowledge, confidence and engagement, while also strengthening cultural competence within healthcare services.

“With continued investment and partnership working, the Health Champions model offers a strong foundation for tackling cancer inequalities and supporting more inclusive, culturally responsive healthcare across North East London and beyond.”

For more information

To support with cancer awareness in the GRT communities, here are some materials produced by Friends, Families and Travelers and Roma support group:

Healthy Lifestyles: How to reduce the risk of cancer for Gypsies and Travellers

Men’s Health: FFT Gypsy and Traveller Health Leaflet

Cervical screening: FFT Screening resources for Gypsies and Travellers

Breast screening:  FFT: Breast Cancer Information for Gypsies and Travellers

You can also view our Cancer Awareness videos by visiting the Friends, Families and Travellers YouTube Channel. This can be accessed by clicking HERE.

For more information on the project, please contact the project manager Nikki Poland at Nikki.poland@nhs.net.

Webinar recordings

North East London Cancer Alliance (14^th May, 2025) NELCA x FFT x RSG – Gypsy, Roma and Traveler – Meet the Health Champions! webinar available at: https://youtu.be/A5IODqrXX2A?si=Ql3l6hfsU8jGGABB

North East London Cancer Alliance (14^th July, 2025) Gypsy, Roma and Traveler Engagement - Cultural Awareness Webinar webinar available at: https://youtu.be/wzmqzF6WZJs 

North East London Cancer Alliance (8^th December, 2025) Gypsy, Roma and Traveler Cultural Awareness Webinar (1 hour)[webinar available at: https://youtu.be/toapkpy_Guk