Multicultural Health and Cancer Services Forum 2022 Evaluation

The Multicultural Health Services and Cancer Services Forum was held on the 27th of October 2022 at the Pullman Hotel Sydney and was hosted by the Cancer Institute NSW (the Institute).

The half day event was led by the Institute’s Multicultural Program and Systems Priorities and Strategies Team attended by seventy-nine delegates including Multicultural Health Services Managers, and Cancer System and Innovation Managers from LHDs, including representatives from regional and rural areas; consumer advocates; CALD non-for-profit organisations offering support services for people with cancer (Pink Sari Inc, CanRevive Inc, Sisters’ Cancer Support Group, and Arabic Council Australia).

Our Multicultural Health Services and Cancer Services Forum page provides more information.

Why we did this

The Multicultural Health Services and Cancer Services Forum aimed to facilitate greater visibility of programs, resources and services to improve cancer outcomes of patients and carers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. It supported cross learning and ideas for future collaboration between multicultural health services, cancer services and consumers to meet the needs of CALD communities affected by cancer.

The Forum importantly embedded the NSW Cancer Plan’s three overarching principles of Equity of Outcomes, Person-centredness and Collaboration and delivered against the NSW Plan for Healthy Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities.

Using a mixed method qualitative and quantitative approach, the evaluation explored three themes: networking, awareness and sharing of CALD initiatives and resources and embedding culturally responsive care. More specifically, the evaluation sought to demonstrate the extent to which the Multicultural Forum facilitated networking opportunities, provided greater visibility of programs and resources available across NSW to meet the needs of patients and carers of CALD background and support cross learnings to improve their cancer outcomes.