West Midlands - Outreach Support Team

from IHSCM Regional HUB Magazine October 2022

Northeast HUB - GMTS Intro

Outreach Support Team

Authors: Raj Mann (Information & Outreach Support Manager) Trust: WHT

A cancer or palliative diagnosis can leave you facing many challenges, from coping with your illness and treatment. Our Outreach Support Team based at the Walsall Palliative Care Centre are on hand to provide responsive and effective emotional support, using a holistic approach.

They can help you understand every stage of the journey and answer any questions you might have. They will also help guide you to the services you need the most.

Within our team we facilitate Walsall’s only BAME Ladies Breast Cancer Support Group. This group provides support for women from disadvantaged communities who struggle with their cancer diagnosis due to various cultural and language barriers.

Our Outreach Support Team promotes equal access and aims to reduce social, cultural and language barriers, to ensure all individuals receive accurate information and access to all cancer and palliative care services within the local community.

October 2022

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the support group had ceased to meet face to face. The health and wellbeing of our members was paramount as many were feeling isolated, experiencing a loss of independence, struggled with anxieties and health issues.Many did not understand the English literature on the pandemic or who to ask for help with testing kits. This encouraged the Outreach Team to look at innovative ways to contact and keep in touch with the support group.

We swiftly overcame this challenge by setting up our very first virtual BAME Ladies Breast Cancer Support Group. However, we stumbled across many difficulties. Firstly, not all group members had an email account.The instructions on creating an email account and installing MS Teams were predominantly in English. Hence, we resourced and provided this written information in different languages and videos. Soon we discovered and asked the more IT proficient group members to help the ladies that were struggling. Furthermore, our Trust IT department assisted with setting up and resolving software complications. With all involved we soon launched the first virtual support group meeting.

October 2022 12

Members of the BAME Breast Cancer Support Group said they have become more confident with technology. They thoroughly enjoyed the visual interaction and felt fully supported.

Positive feedback from members: “It has been a lifeline to speak and see someone” “I am glad the Outreach Officer can explain this information in my own language”

Following on two years, due to technology advances and growing IT confidence the BAME Breast Cancer Support Group continue to meet virtually once a week opposed to monthly face to face. Overall, the support group look forward to the virtual support group meetings but would like face to face meetings to recommence in additional, when safe to do so.

Further to this the Outreach Team also set up a BAME Breast Cancer What's App Support Group for members to join.

October2022

(image below ) This was the last face to face BAME Ladies Breast Cancer Support Meeting before the coronavirus pandemic, this session was a Macmillan Art Workshop.