National Cancer Equality Initiative

The Cancer Reform Strategy 2007 highlighted that the challenge in reducing inequalities in cancer is 'the lack of evidence about the extent to which different forms of inequalities exist, what causes them and what interventions will be most effective in addressing them'.

In recognition of these challenges, a National Cancer Equality Initiative (NCEI) has been set up to bring together key stakeholders from groups including healthcare professionals, the voluntary sector, academics, and equality champions to develop research proposals on cancer inequalities, to test interventions, and to advise on the development of wider policy.

The NCEI meets three or four times a year and is chaired by Professor Mike Richards and Joanne Rule.

The role of the NCEI is to advise the National Cancer Director and Ministers on the delivery of actions to reduce the levels of inequalities set out in the Cancer Reform Strategy by:

• advising on optimising data collection to enhance our understanding of the inequalities that exist
• advising on promoting research to fill gaps in the evidence
• advising on how best to identify and spread good practice, and sustain and embed it in NHS organisations
• taking part in identifying and agreeing key work streams and being actively involved in taking them forward
• producing an action plan with key identifiable and measurable goals to reduce inequalities in cancer care in both deprived groups, and in groups from the six strands of equality.