New scheme launched to fight cancer

The councils have announced a joint partnership with Albion in the Community (AITC), the charitable arm of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club, and NHS West Sussex.

The project, funded by NHS West Sussex, will see both council’s new well-being hubs work alongside the charity’s health department, local GPs and a range of other people to increase awareness of the early signs and symptoms of cancer and encourage people with those symptoms to seek help and visit their GP.

It will target men and women over the age of 50 in communities where awareness levels and survival rates are particularly low.

Early death rates from cancers in Adur and Worthing are higher than the England average.

A spokeswoman for Adur and Worthing councils said: “The chances of surviving cancer increase significantly if it is diagnosed early when more treatable, and, increased awareness of early signs and symptoms combined with appropriate visits to GPs are seen as the key to improving levels of early diagnosis and survival rates.”

James Appleton, executive head of service for Adur and Worthing councils, said: “We are really pleased to be working with Albion in the Community and local GPs on this new initiative. We know that Adur and Worthing have a higher number of early deaths from cancer than average and we therefore want to encourage people to get to know the signs and symptoms and seek help earlier.”