Bringing Life-Saving Skin Checks to Glen Innes
Coordinating community, sponsors and health providers to improve access to early skin cancer detection in a regional community.
Capacity building - LEP23-024-09
The issue
Access to preventative health services in regional areas can be limited, particularly for specialist services such as skin cancer checks. Residents in the Glen Innes region often face long travel distances and wait times, which can delay early detection. Given Australia’s high rate of skin cancer, improving access to timely screening is critical, particularly for rural populations with high sun exposure.
The solution
GLENRAC played a key liaison role to bring Skin Patrol’s mobile, doctor-led skin cancer clinic to the Glen Innes Show in February 2026.
Working closely with Skin Patrol as the service provider, and Rotary Glen Innes as a major delivery partner, GLENRAC coordinated local planning, sponsor engagement and promotion. This included connecting 11 local sponsors and community organisations to support delivery and ensure the service could be offered free of charge.
Delivering the clinic as part of the Glen Innes Show was a key success factor. As a well-attended local event, it provided a central and familiar location, increasing accessibility for community members, including those travelling in from surrounding and more remote areas.
By aligning a national health provider with strong local partnerships and a major community event, GLENRAC helped remove barriers to access and maximise participation.
The impact
Over three days, the clinic delivered strong community uptake and measurable health outcomes:
- 199 bookings made
- 163 people screened by a Skin Cancer Doctor
- 17 lesions identified requiring follow-up, most consistent with Basal Cell Carcinoma
The high participation reflects both the demand for accessible health services and the benefit of delivering them at a time when more people are already in town. Early identification of potential skin cancers provides individuals with the opportunity for timely treatment and improved outcomes.
The initiative also strengthened collaboration between community groups, sponsors and service providers, demonstrating how coordinated local support can enable services that would otherwise be cost prohibitive in a small regional community.
Key facts
- 3-day mobile clinic delivered at Glen Innes Show (Feb 2026)
- 163 community members screened by a doctor
- 17 lesions identified for follow-up
- 199 total bookings
- 11 local sponsors and community partners involved.