Community Action: MK partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support to conduct a research survey in order to better understand the needs of ethnic minority and faith communities in relation to their cancer, cancer treatment and their access to cancer support in the local Milton Keynes communities.

We searched for a range of as many people as possible to take part, including launching an online survey that was open to anyone in Milton Keynes from any ethnic or religious background. We promoted this to the wider VCSE sector through a variety of our communication channels and platforms. We had to adjust this research during the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came with it regarding engaging communities. Once these restrictions eased, we ran an in-person event to engage and listen to those with lived experienced of cancer.

The findings through our initial survey and engagement meetings helped us to shape and co-produce an initial report discussing the experiences of ethnic minority and faith communities in Milton Keynes. You can read the report here.

In 2022, we conducted targeted engagement with ethnic minority and faith communities, as well as health professionals in order to build on those initial findings and to better understand the barriers and challenges communities face in accessing cancer services, as well as understanding if there are other routes they take to seek support through which improved experiences could be leveraged.  As part of this, we relaunched out survey and ran engagement events and conducted outreach research within a variety of different communities in Milton Keynes, also running an open event in November 2022. Our final report was published in December 2022.