New health toolkit launched

A new toolkit by the Cork Cancer Action Network has been designed to help communities identify the health needs in their area as well as the gaps in services.

Speaking about the new toolkit, Eimear Cotter, Cancer Prevention Officer with the Irish Cancer Society said: “In 2016, Cork Cancer Action (CCAN) worked on a research project, funded by the Irish Cancer Society, in the Farranree, Gurranabraher and Churchfield areas. This looked at health services and needs at a local level with a particular focus on cancer prevention.

“From this a toolkit was developed to enable other communities to identify health issues in their area – be it the needs of the local people, the main priorities for them when it comes to their health or what gaps there are in health service provision.”

The toolkit fits under several different national strategies including the all government-led Healthy Ireland initiative. It speaks directly to several of the overarching themes of the strategy such as a partnership and cross sectoral approach, community engagement and participation and empowering people and communities to research their own health needs and take collaborative action to address those needs.

The toolkit, which was launched by the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Mick Finn, was developed with support from the Healthy Ireland Fund through the Cork City Local Community Development Committee.

Stephen Murphy, Social Inclusion Officer, Cork City Council, added: “Doing a needs assessment, which this toolkit allows for, should lead to an improvement in health knowledge and hopefully an increase people going for cancer screening and survival rates.

“It is a vital resource as it empowers communities to take the matter of health into their own hands and allows them to play a part in finding the solution. It is a step by step guide from consulting with relevant parties to putting an action plan in place,” Murphy concluded.

The toolkit can be downloaded at cancer.ie/ccantoolkit.