Professionals, carers, voluntary organisations and people with lived experience came together in Great Saling on 16 June 2026 for a Macmillan Community Voices (MCV) workshop focused on improving the cancer care experiences of adults with learning disabilities.
The event was the third in a series of workshops delivered by the Macmillan Community Voices team, building on feedback and insights gathered from communities across Essex. With the support of partners including Lady McAdden Breast Cancer Trust, St Helena Hospice, Essex Carers Network, Blade Education, Learning Disability Specialist Health Services, The Edmund Trust and NHS LeDeR (Learning from Lives and Deaths) representatives, the workshop explored how organisations can work together to reduce inequalities and improve cancer outcomes.
We were also delighted to welcome regional and national colleagues from Macmillan Cancer Support to the day who engaged directly with partners and contributors to ensure learning fed directly back into the work being carried out by them to support the National Cancer Plan.
Shared Findings
The day provided an opportunity to share emerging findings from the MCV project while creating space for discussion about the barriers adults with learning disabilities can face when accessing cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and support. A recurring message throughout the event was the importance of listening to lived experience and ensuring individuals are involved in decisions about their own care.
Speakers shared examples of ongoing work to improve accessibility, awareness and support for people with learning disabilities and their carers. Topics included improving access to cancer screening, supporting conversations around serious illness and end-of-life care, promoting reasonable adjustments in healthcare settings and increasing understanding of the challenges individuals can face when navigating health services.
One of the most powerful moments of the day came through a film produced by Blade Education on behalf of Macmillan Community Voices. The video featured a parent describing the challenges of receiving a cancer diagnosis while continuing to care for her adult son with a rare syndrome, highlighting the impact cancer can have on entire families.
Gathering Key Themes
The Community360 Macmillan Community Voices team also shared key themes gathered throughout the project so far, including barriers to screening and appointments, communication challenges, limited awareness of reasonable adjustments, and concerns about people with learning disabilities not always being fully involved in decisions affecting their health and care.
Participants then joined a collaborative discussion to consider how communities, services and organisations can work together to address these issues. Conversations highlighted the need for greater awareness and training, more accessible information, stronger advocacy and continued partnership working across the health, voluntary and community sectors.
Positive Feedback
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Participants reported increased awareness of the health inequalities experienced by adults with learning disabilities, improved knowledge of available support services, and a greater understanding of the importance of inclusive, person-centered care. The workshop also created new connections between organisations, helping to strengthen relationships and future referral pathways.
The learning gathered will contribute to Macmillan’s national research and help shape future Community Voices activity. It will also be shared with partner organisations to support ongoing work aimed at improving cancer experiences and outcomes for adults with learning disabilities.
As one attendee summarised: “The conversation needs to continue.”
By bringing together professional expertise, community knowledge and lived experience, the workshop demonstrated the power of partnership working and the importance of ensuring the voices of people with learning disabilities are heard, valued and acted upon.
>For more information about Community360 Macmillan Community Voices Project contact voices@community360.org.uk
>To find out more about support available from Macmillan Cancer Support click here
