There has been massive interest about how HSUK services can reduce the emotional and financial costs of the most common cancers. The early detection of cancer and educating people how to be the first line of defence against rising incidence has so many positive benefits:

• For the individual, knowing your cancer risk and how best to manage it dramatically improves prognosis.
• For the families of individuals affected, the emotional strain is lessened.
• For employers, the costs of private medical and other health related insurances are significantly reduced as are the absence costs associated with cancer only diagnosed in the later stages.
• For insurers, early detection reduces their cancer claims liability.
• For the NHS, the costs of treating cancer diagnosed earlier reduces financial pressure on cancer budgets.
• For the government, it supports their cancer strategy, Improving Outcomes.

We all seem to spend so much time discussing the increasing costs of treating cancer whereas we should be promoting every way possible to ensure early detection and self awareness. 

But it’s more than just about the financial benefits. Cancer screening saves lives.

It’s a great business to be involved with, supporting as it does the National Strategy on Cancer, Improving Outcomes   

For details please visit www.healthscreenuk.com/news  – more from me as it happens.

I’ll be there both days, spending much of my time with the team from www.breasthealthuk.com who have just launched a new early detection service for skin cancer.

Their new website www.healthscreenuk.com goes live 22nd March.

Might see you next week.

We don’t place enough emphasis on early detection. Breast Cancer does not just affect older women as the following statistics show:

The risk for women aged 29 and under is one in 2,000.

The risk for women aged between 30 -39 is one in 215.

The risk for women aged 40 – 49 is one in 50, yes one in 50.

The NHS Breast Screening programme does not start until women are aged 50, although there is some move to bring this down to 47.

The risk for women aged 50 to 59 is one in 22.

The risk for women aged  60 to 69 is one in 13. 

So what does this mean for employers?

Well, the risk of a female employee being diagnosed with breast cancer is higher than previously thought. 

Many employers are concerned about the rising costs of breast cancer, particularly those who provide private medical insurance.  But it’s not just about the direct treatment costs. The absence related costs and the strain on other ill health benefits are substantial.

Whilst helping their employees to reduce the risk factors through encouraging a healthier lifestyle, I can’t think of a better way for employers to address this issue than providing access to breast health awareness services and screening. 

Aside from alleviating one of the biggest fears for female employees, such low cost investment makes complete economic sense.   

If you want to discuss this for your own organisation, then please let me know.

As is usual at this time of year, you can’t turn a page or click on a website without being bombarded with swine flu and absence related stories. One of the current headlines is that there is a shortage of the most up to date flu vaccine. With most professional commentators saying that we are coming to the peak of the flu outbreak, isn’t it a bit late to discover this? The whole point of vaccination programmes is to carry them out well in advance of a potential virus outbreak.

Were you ahead of the game?  What are your flu related absence costs going to be come March? Has it made you consider a different approach come next autumn?

Have a look at their website to see what they are up to and what use you can make of the free resources on offer. Here’s the press release in full:

Kick the January blues and get healthy at work in 2011

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is urging workers everywhere to kick the January blues and get healthy at work in the New Year by joining the BHF’s Health at Work programme.

 A recent survey revealed that 30 per cent of workers admit to eating more unhealthy snacks and treats during the working day and over a third (34%) say they tend to be less active at work than at home. The BHF Health at Work programme helps organisations everywhere, large and small, to set up their own health club at work, from arranging regular lunchtime walks to organising a company football team.

 Lisa Purcell, Project Manager for the BHF’s Health at Work Programme said:

 “It can be difficult to find the motivation to get fit and healthy during January when we are faced with cold weather and dark nights. Our survey revealed UK workers tend to exercise less or eat more unhealthily during the working day. This doesn’t have to be the case. Just going for a walk on your lunch break or clubbing together for a regular fruit bowl can make a real difference to your wellbeing. “

The programme, sponsored by Legal & General, has already signed up more than 800 organisations. Employees from bin men to bank tellers are joining the scheme and getting fit together. Lisa adds:

“For employers, the rewards are clear. Encouraging workers to eat healthy and exercise during the working day can improve productivity, reduce staff turnover, and result in fewer sick days. Why not challenge your employees to become a fitter, healthier workforce in 2011?”

Sign up for free and get all the advice and resources you need to start your own health club at work at bhf.org.uk/healthatwork.

ENDS

Only 32% of employees surveyed said that there was stress management support or advice available in their organisation.

52% of employees said that their employer did not take any steps to help employees with five or more days of continuous absence back to work.

Even worse, 67% of employers admitted to not providing their employees with any measures to help them back.

Only 10% of employers had heard of the Business Health Check Tool. Only 5% had heard of their Regional Health and Wellbeing co-ordinator. Both initiatives from HWWB in the past year.

I don’t want to paint too negative a picture and I suggest that you read the report for all the survey results. But what I would say is that there is nothing in this document to tell us what HWWB are going to do to improve the situation, nor do they tell us whether the same indicators will be used to identify future trends or measure improvements by results.

I do have a sense that they felt obliged to get something out to show that they are still with us, whilst the government decides what to do with them.

Only 2% of the 7,000 women in their 40s diagnosed with breast cancer every year were identified through screening. Of these 7,000, it is likely that 3,000 will die of the disease. 

Dr Nick Perry, director of The London Breast Institute commented, ‘Regular screening is already proven to lower the chance of women dying from breast cancer. The results of our study support the importance of regular screening in the under-50 age group and confirm that annual mammography improves the chances of breast conservation should breast cancer develop.’

Click here for the full article.

The government calls on employers to provide better training for managers, forge closer links with occupational health and, wait for it, set up mini competitions / challenges between staff in activities such as cycling. This is hardly the radical approach that they refer to in the beginning of the document.

I don’t know who they consulted with before publication, but I don’t think they realise the significant investment that many employers already make in the health of the working population, saving much of the public purse. What would really galvanise employers are tax/financial incentives that reward them for making further investment.

With 125 women being diagnosed in the UK every day, there aren’t many people who haven’t been affected by breast cancer, either directly or indirectly, including me. Currently 1 in 9 women will suffer from it at some point in their lives with this increasing to 1 in 7 by 2020. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women under the age of 35.

The UK has one of the worst records for cancer survival in Europe and I believe much of this is down to the lack of emphasis put on screening and early detection. 

I’m very happy to promote BreastHealth’s services through this website and for a number of reasons, I’m going to work with them on their proposition for employers. This is an official Shandwell endorsement and also an up front declaration of my interest.

Employers can fund their services directly or arrange it as a voluntary benefit, possibly under a salary sacrifice scheme – BreastHealth UK has confirmation from the Revenue that there is no tax or National Insurance liability for the employee under such an arrangement. Employers also benefit from National Insurance savings.

If employers have a cash plan in place, most providers give cover for screening up to a specified limit, say £100, with the employee choosing what screening they want.

The BreastHealth check with a cancer nurse specialist would fall under the terms of screening. In effect, the cost of such screening would have already been paid for either by the employer if the cash plan is company funded, or the employee if it is on a voluntary benefit basis. As cash plans are not priced on a claims made basis, rather they are priced per capita, having such screening would not incur any additional costs, no matter how the cash plan is funded.

If this is something you would like to discuss for your own organisation then just let me know.