Welcome to the first edition of our monthly roundup, where we walk you through what’s been happening Inside OUTpatients!
(Please forgive the pun, we couldn’t resist).
This means we get to share some of work we don’t usually get to talk about, like the early stages of projects, campaigns that haven’t gone live yet, and the steps we take to ensure the voice of our community is reflected in every decision. So without further ado, here are some of the key things we’ve been working on recently!
Our new podcast
After months of development, we’re getting ready to launch our brand new podcast, OUTspoken, on the 4th February 2026. The podcast was born directly from community feedback; people attending our peer support groups told us they wanted to hear more stories from people like them, and access that sense of connection and solidarity between peer support sessions.
Each episode of OUTspoken centres the voice of an LGBTIQ+ person living with or beyond cancer. Conversations range from family estrangement and treatment side effects to gender-affirming care and family dynamics. Across every episode, what shines through is the vital role of community and support in helping people navigate their cancer journey. We hope that this podcast can act as another pillar of support for LGBTIQ+ people who need it.
So keep an eye out! We can’t wait to share it with you.
Peer support
As well as our regular peer support sessions for LGBTIQ+ people with cancer and their loved ones, we ran two online groups on the themes of grief and end of life care.
This was a subject that attendees wanted additional space to work through, specifically in relation to being an LGBTIQ+ person with cancer, so we welcomed death doulas and community experts Jamie Thrower and Sam McBean to bring in some new discussions, exercises, and guidance when it comes to thinking about death and loss.
Many said that they always value the openness that is welcome and encouraged at OUTpatients support groups, and were very grateful for having a space that welcomed talk about this emotional subject. We hope to continue running short guest series like this, to connect LGBTIQ+ specific support with those living with cancer who are seeking it.
HPV campaign
In December, we wrapped up our latest campaign – ‘Small act, big impact’. In partnership with West Yorkshire Cancer Alliance, we developed the campaign to raise awareness of HPV, and boost vaccine uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM) in West Yorkshire.
HPV is a common virus that can be transmitted through sexual contact, and increases the risk of several types of cancer, including head, neck, penile, vaginal, and cervical. It is also more common among men who have sex with men (MSM), and so boosting vaccine uptake in the community is one of the best ways to lower our risk of these cancers.
The numbers are now in, and we can officially say the campaign was a great success! It was viewed over 1.75 million times across digital platforms targeted in the local area, and over 12,000 people came to our website to find more information on HPV and how to get their vaccine.
If you would like to work with us on another campaign, email raktim@outpatients.org.uk
Smoking cessation campaign
LGBTIQ+ people have higher rates of smoking than the general population, which can increase risk of multiple types of cancer. We are therefore developing a targeted Quit Smoking campaign aimed at increasing awareness of smoking rates in LGBTIQ+ communities and the benefits of quitting. The campaign will also promote the support available through Your Health Oldham’s Stop Smoking service in Oldham.
Right now, we have teamed up with a brilliant illustrator to design the materials, and are running focus groups with community members to ensure the campaign reflects real needs and experiences.
We are also still recruiting for more participants. If you’re an LGBTIQ+ person aged 18+ and currently smoking, you can sign up to take part in a focus group below.
Lung cancer screening campaign
We’re also developing a campaign to raise awareness of, and increase uptake of, lung cancer screening among LGBTIQ+ people in Manchester. As well as having higher rates of smoking, LGBTIQ+ people are more likely to avoid healthcare settings, which can delay diagnosis and make lung cancer more difficult to treat.
In partnership with Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, this campaign aims to ensure LGBTIQ+ people don’t miss out on the potentially life-saving Lung Cancer Screening programme currently being rolled out across Greater Manchester. To make sure the campaign is genuinely community-led, we’ve been hosting workshops with eligible LGBTIQ+ people to understand barriers, concerns, and what we will encourage people to attend screening appointments.
Updating screening booklets
We are currently revising our booklets on cancer screening resources for people who are transgender, non-binary, or gender diverse.
These are one of our most requested resources, and so we are making sure they are up-to-date and in line with best practice. Since we published them, there have been a couple of changes we want reflected in the booklet as well, including the new ‘opt-in’ update. This allows people with a male or indeterminate gender marker to opt-in for cervical screening invitations, making it easier to stay on top of these life-saving tests.
We’re also reviewing the design and structure as well. At the moment, all our screening information sits in one resource, but NHS materials are typically programme-specific. Through community workshops, we’re trying to find out whether people prefer a single, comprehensive booklet or separate resources aligned more closely with NHS formats. As always, our goal is to be receptive to the community, and produce resources that reflect the needs of LGBTIQ+ people.
Beneficiary Advisory Board
We have officially launched our new Beneficiary Advisory Board (fondly know as the BAB). This group is comprised of LGBTIQ+ people living with and beyond cancer who have taken part in OUTpatients activities, and will provide regular feedback on OUTpatients’ projects, strategies, programmes and services.
Co-production is at the heart of what we do. Having the BAB will help to hold us accountable to our community, and make sure that patient voices are shaping not only individual projects, but the strategic direction of the charity.