November 2009 Creating a movement for Neurological conditions – lessons from cancer
Dec 28, 2015
Agenda
• About us• Similarities between cancer and neurological
conditions• Differences between the two disease areas• Lessons from cancer• Summary
Why we’re here
What we do
Strategic policy consultancy
Health campaigning
Parliamentary engagement and scrutiny
Media relations
Stakeholder engagement
Issues and crisis management
Similarities between cancer and neurological conditions
• Exceptionally common diseases• Stigma • Vibrant voluntary sector• Multitude of stakeholders • Some existence of a ‘postcode lottery’• Treatment pipelines• Research issues are very similar
Differences between cancer and neurological conditions
• Cancer is seen as a higher political priority• Multitude of ‘celebrity’ survivors or patients• Cancer ‘survivorship’ • Public funding gap• Cancer is the number one public fear• Clear national leadership• Up-to-date national strategy• Research spend
Lesson 1 – it’s a journey….
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2009
Political:The Calman Hine report on commissioning cancer services (1995)Introduction of a National Clinical Director for Cancer (1999)NHS Cancer Plan (2000)Establishment of the National Cancer Research Institute (2001)Cancer Reform Strategy (2007)
Social:Cancer was spoken about more openly on TV (1990s)Increase in cancer patient empowerment (2000s)Merger of CRC and ICRF (2002)
More than 95% of men now survive testicular cancer
Over half of all people with cancer now survive beyond 5 years
Breast cancer death rates have fallen by a fifth in the last 10 years
Cancer death rates have
fallen by 10% over the last
10 years
Survival rates have improved for nearly all cancers
More than 7 out of 10
children are now
successfully treated
Lesson 3 – the promise of progress
Lesson 5 – the benefits of a robust evidence-base
• Authoritative voice• Based on facts – scale
of the problem; size of the prize
• Use evidence effectively
• Importance of independence
Lesson 6 – involving supporters
• Many patients and supporters want to help in non-financial ways
• Campaigning is empowering AND can lead to positive legislative change
• Helps break down stigma • Relatively inexpensive to do this• You don’t have to be a
‘campaigning’ charity to do this• Doesn’t have to be placard- waving or marches on
Westminster; it can be more subtle
Lesson 7 – The power of partnership
Working with other cancer
charities
Working with other healthcare
organisations
Working with charities outside
of health
Unclaimed Assets
Coalition
Three case studies on partnership working
In summary….
2) The importance of both hope and fear
4) The need to overcome stigma
3) The promise of progress
1) It doesn’t happen overnight
6) The benefits that can be gained from involving
campaigners
8) Use the cancer experience as a lever
7) Partnership working often reaps the biggest rewards
5) The benefits of a robustevidence-base