What is a small community?
Each small community is an ‘expert by experience’ focus group, where members share lived experience of a particular cancer type.
Members of the small communities have the opportunity to improve cancer care for others. They can influence service improvement projects, and discuss topics that matter to them, highlighting where improvements can be made.
Small communities also help our patient and carer representatives who are members of the pathway board to represent wider perspectives than their own, as they hear what matters to others.
We currently have small communities for the majority of cancer pathways. The table below displays this. We continue to grow and diversify these groups, and are looking to establish new small communities where they don’t currently exist.
How can I join?
To join a small community, email us at gmcancer.voices@nhs.net or fill out our registration form and we will be in touch.
Useful documents
| Type of focus group (small community) | Dates/times |
|---|---|
| Blood cancer (haematological) | Date TBC – get in touch to join |
| Bowel cancer (colorectal) | 10th September 2-3.30pm, in person at The Christie with the option to join online
26th November, 1.30-2.30pm, online |
| Brain tumour | Dates TBC – get in touch to join |
| Breast cancer | 2nd October, 10.30am-12pm, in person at The Christie |
| Gynaecological cancer | Date TBC – likely mid-September, get in touch to join |
| Head and neck cancer | 24th September, 10-11am, online |
| Lung cancer | 5th October, 1-2pm, in person at The Christie with the option to join online |
| Oesophageal and stomach cancer | 1st September, 12.30-1.30pm, online
2nd December, 12-1pm, online |
| Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) cancers | Date TBC – get in touch to join |
| Skin cancer | 9th September, 12-1pm, online |
| Urological (bladder, kidney and prostate) cancer | 30th September, 12-1pm, online |
Want to find out more?
Take a look at our video to find out more about small communities, and meet some of the team.