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16 Community
Community Health
Clinic – Prostate
Cancer Risk
Assessment
Nottingham
residents have welcomed
their first ever Community Health Clinic.
It’s called “Check Tings Out” and is based at the
ACNA Centre Cottage in St Ann’s, Nottingham.
Launched in May 2016, ‘Check Tings Out’ is a BME
Cancer Communities initiative. It was inspired by
the experiences - personal and professional - of
health practitioner and director of BME Cancer
Communities, Rose Thompson.*
The current focus of the community health clinic is
prostate cancer, the most common cancer affecting
adult men in the UK. The clinic is open to all men,
45 years and over, across all communities in
Nottingham city and county wide.
As 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer
compared with 1 in 8 white men, African Caribbean,
African and Dual Heritage men of 40 years and
over are invited to attend. In Nottingham 19% of
prostate cancer cases diagnosed at an advanced
stage (defined as stage iv) are in Black men.
Open on the first Monday and the third
Wednesday of each month ‘Check Tings Out’
invites men to attend a drop-in service between
9am to 3.30pm – the last test takes place at 3pm.
On offer is information and support; a prostate
check; and a PSA test.
‘Check Tings Out’ community health clinic is a
confidential service, staffed by NHS urology nurses.
It receives financial support from Nottingham City
Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Reports from Monday June 6 th – the first day of clinic:
Rose
Thompson,
Director
of
BME
Cancer
Communities
said:
“This is a fantastic response. We knew we
had to act to save the lives of Black men in our
community. If we can establish good practice here
in Nottingham, Leicester has already expressed an
interest in following in our footsteps.”
NHS Urology Nurse Practitioner, Bria McAllister
said: “Today’s been absolutely amazing. It’s been
better than we could ever have hoped for. We’ve
been busy from the first moment we opened our
doors. We started off at 9’0’clock and the first
patient was already standing there waiting and
we’ve had a steady stream ever since.”
NHS Health Care Assistant Jodie Howarth “I’d
advise men to definitely come along. Some were
nervous today but went away feeling relieved,
reassured, so it’s been great”.
The community health clinic - ‘Check Tings Out’
- is a key recommendation of the Hear Me Now
Reports at http://tings.org.uk/.
BME Cancer Communities is supported in this
initiative by community engagement specialists
Bright Ideas Nottingham and Kemet Community
Radio.
The next event is to be hosted by Mr Amdani Juma,
Director of Africa Institute of Social Development.
For more details or interviews, contact BME
Cancer Communities on 07834 170 564. The clinic is
supported by FAB (Friends and Bredrins) prostate
Cancer support group.
Notes on progress to date – 24 th September 2016:
Nurses expected 10 to 12 men per clinic. Currently over 80 men have attended 5 sessions and 78 have
been consented to the PSA blood test and physical examination.
Most have been surprised at how quickly the actual tests are completed, once information about the tests
is provided and consent is gained. Any man with concerns who is registered with a GP over the age of 40
can attend the community clinic, particularly if he has a family history of prostate cancer.
Women do not have a prostate gland but can still encourage male relatives and friends to attend.