The £350,000 grant will help tackle the barriers that often prevent or deter people with learning disabilities from getting important health checks that can detect cancer at an early stage.
Jon Spiers, chief executive of the Royal Free Charity, said: “Cancer screening saves lives but access to the NHS’s vital screening services isn’t always equitable, especially for people with learning disabilities.
“We’re delighted to be funding this life-saving project because we want local people with learning disabilities to feel safe and confident when they’re invited to cancer screening. We hope this means more cancers are identified as early as possible, giving patients the best chance of their treatment being successful.”
The project will be delivered over three years by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, now part of the North London Mental Health Partnership (NLMHP), London Borough of Camden and London Borough of Islington.
Alice Langley, managing director (Camden division), NLMHP, said: “We are very proud to be involved in this hugely important initiative which will be genuinely life-saving for some of our service users.
“Every individual should have equal access to good cancer diagnostics and treatment and this programme of work is a significant step forward in making sure this happens for some of our most vulnerable residents.”
The project will use proven ways to make it easier for people with learning disabilities to navigate the healthcare system.
