By Lynn Swinburne, Senior Health Promotion Officer, National Screening Service
We’ve developed a practical, evidence-based toolkit to support community-led efforts to improve participation in screening.
The ‘Interventions Toolkit for Communities’ is for local community health workers who take part in our community champions project and complete our training. It aims to empower community champions to plan and implement targeted interventions that make screening more equitable and accessible for everyone. Interventions are any activity undertaken to increase awareness about screening and improve access to and participation in screening.
Why we did it
Community health workers are trusted voices who can help people understand what screening is, challenge myths and misinformation, and offer practical support to access services. We wanted to develop a practical, easy-to-follow, step-by-step resource to support our community champions to do just that.
The goal is to reduce avoidable health inequalities by making sure everyone, regardless of their background, literacy levels, or life circumstances, have the opportunity to make informed choices about screening.
How we did it
We reviewed evidence to learn about proven and effective interventions that work to improve participation in screening. These include education, reminders, using accessible information, and reducing common barriers like cost, transport, and paperwork.
We worked with local community health workers to agree on the right content, improving the resource step by step as we developed it.
How it works
The toolkit is designed to equip community health workers who work in and with communities to:
- identify people who do not take part in screening or who do not take part regularly
- offer local interventions that will help people to take part in screening programmes.
It’s structured in seven clear steps, and guides users through the process of designing, implementing and evaluating community-led screening interventions.
It includes practical templates, case studies, and tips on how to use behaviour change tools to encourage people to take part in screening.
Improving equity in screening
Equity is at the heart of this toolkit. Research shows that people most at risk - those living in areas of deprivation, people with disabilities, migrant populations, or members of the LGBT+ community - are often the least likely to take part in screening. This toolkit aims to change that.
By outlining real-world barriers such as fear, misinformation, lack of childcare, language difficulties, and transportation issues, the toolkit helps users identify what’s preventing people in their own communities from taking part in screening. It suggests practical ways to deal with these challenges, while supporting people to make informed choices.
It highlights that decisions about healthcare are often shaped by a wide range of social factors, and that improving equity means understanding and responding to these lived experiences.
From knowledge to action
This toolkit is more than a manual - it’s a call to action. We have translated public health strategies into practical steps that equips communities to support people to take part in screening.
Equity in health is more than a policy goal. It’s a shared responsibility that requires partnership with communities and a sustained local effort to address barriers and make a real difference.
To learn more about our Community Champions project and to connect with our Health Promotion team, visit screeningservice.ie or email health.promotion@screeningservice.ie.