Macmillan Cancer Community Connections team win at Luton Excellence Awards

A group of NHS and local authority staff and community volunteers in Luton has been honoured at the borough’s prestigious Luton Excellence Awards ceremony.

The team – Luton’s Macmillan Cancer Community Connectors – was presented with the Ambitious Award at last week’s event. These prestigious awards provide the opportunity to recognise and reward hard work and achievements and say thank you for all they have done to support the people of Luton over the last twelve months.

The team have been working, engaging and listening to the Black African/Caribbean, Eastern European and South Asian communities in Luton to improve cancer services and to meet the needs of these diverse groups.  Funding was provided by Macmillan and by Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board as part of its drive to improve cancer outcomes in Luton.

They received the award for showing exceptional flexibility and motivation in overcoming the challenges facing their service and exploring opportunities for innovation, they continue to show willingness to go beyond conventional thinking and are looking at new and radical ways to improve local performance.

Andrew Murrell, Macmillan Cancer Connections Project Manager said:

“It was such a delightful evening, and I am so proud to accept this award in the Ambitious category.  This is a wonderful nod to this project and the Cancer Community Connectors and the hard work we do.  It’s great to see the impact that this project has made in increasing earlier cancer diagnoses.  It’s been very rewarding to see the local authority work with the NHS and a charity sector partner to make such a difference to local people’s experiences of healthcare services at a time they most need help.

Kathy Nelson, Head of the Cancer Network for Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System, said:

“I’m passionate about improving access to cancer services and patient experience.  This award reflects the hard work which the Cancer Community Connectors have put in to help us overcome the barriers to better cancer care in communities across Luton, and in particular to the often unequal outcomes which some people have historically experienced.  I know they will go from strength to strength and will continue to make a difference.”