If you're interested in helping people with cancer receive fairer and more equal treatment, we need your help. We're carrying out research to find out if people from different backgrounds receive the same type and quality of service or if there are differences in the way people are treated.

Obviously, everybody’s experience of cancer and cancer services is different and unique. What we would like to understand is whether particular groups face particular types of inequality or discrimination. Do some people find it harder to access cancer services? Is everybody treated with the same amount of dignity and respect when receiving treatment or advice? Understanding this will help to generate evidence which can be used to improve cancer services across the UK.

We'd like to talk to people who have experience of cancer (i.e. cancer patients or carers/ family/partners of those with cancer) and who are from one or more of the following groups:

• black and minority ethnic people
• older people
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people
• people on lower incomes

These are some of the groups that previous research has shown can be vulnerable when accessing cancer services.

We would like to ask you questions about the issues raised above. There will be a number of different ways in which you can get involved depending upon what you would prefer:

• an interview (approximately 1 hour)
• a focus group (approximately 2 hours)
• filling in a survey (20 minutes)

We can pay travel expenses to help cover your costs for taking part. If you are interested or would like to know more please do get in touched with Amy Wilkins on 0121 456 7403 or by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This may not be easy. It's a big ask – talking about experiences of cancer is challenging, talking about experiences of discrimination is challenging, talking about unfairness and disappointment is challenging too. We are asking you to get involved because we believe that this work can make a difference through its focus on real life experiences. If you do take part (and we hope you will) your safety and confidentiality will be our prime concern.

To download a flyer click here (pdf).

Macmillan Cancer Support have asked brap to find out more about people’s experiences of cancer services in the UK. Macmillan works to improve the experience of all people living with cancer. To do this well we need to know if there are differences in the way people from different backgrounds are treated and feel about cancer services. 

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