Cancer is a subject that doesn’t bear thinking about and yet 900,000+ people in the workforce are preoccupied with it. They are living with cancer and 28% of them say they have had little or no support from their employer. (Source Macmillan Cancer Support – The Forgotten C)

What can you do? One of the ways in which employers can be supportive is by pledging to the Greater Manchester Bee Seen, Get Screened campaign agreeing to:

• guarantee their staff paid time off, or provide flexible working, to attend NHS cancer screening appointments
• raise the profile of health and wellbeing in the workplace.
• encourage their staff to talk about cancer and the importance of screening.

195 businesses in Greater Manchester have already signed up to the pledge meaning that over 146,000 employees can confidently request time off and know that they will be supported by their line managers.

Why should employers pledge?

Supporting cancer screening at work shows you care about your people and their wellbeing:

• Helps employees feel valued and supported
• Early detection means kinder treatment and better outcomes
• Can reduce time off work and support staff to stay well
• Shows you are a caring, responsible employer
• A small step that can make a big difference in saving lives

Why is screening so important?

It’s vitally important that if you notice anything that is unusual to you, you go and see your GP as soon as possible. However, where screening comes in is diagnosing and detecting cancer before there are any obvious symptoms, and sometimes before cancer has even had a chance to fully develop.

The NHS has three screening programmes breast (mammogram), cervical (smear test) and bowel cancer (home faecal immunochemical testing or FIT kit).

Breast screening is offered to anyone registered as female with their GP, with invitations sent out between the ages of 50 and 53 and then every three years until age 71. Regular screening helps to detect cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful. In fact, almost all women diagnosed with breast cancer at the earliest stage in England survive for at least five years after diagnosis. Screening is estimated to prevent around 1,300 deaths from breast cancer each year in the UK, showing just how important it is to attend when invited (Source: Cancer Research UK)

Cervical screening is for anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64. In England, screening is now offered every 5 years for those who test negative for HPV, with more frequent follow-up if HPV is detected.(Source, Cancer Research UK) Cervical screening is a reliable and effective way to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, and the benefits far outweigh any risks. Alongside the HPV vaccine, it is one of the best ways to protect yourself. In fact, it prevents over 7 in 10 cervical cancers. Around 5,000 lives are saved each year through cervical screening (Source- The Eve Appeal).

Bowel cancer screening is offered to people aged 50–74 every two years using a free home test (FIT kit). The test is quick and easy to do at home and checks for tiny amounts of blood in your poo that you wouldn’t usually see. If blood is found, you may be invited for further tests to find the cause and check for bowel cancer or pre-cancerous changes. Bowel cancer screening helps detect cancer early and can even prevent it from developing. When bowel cancer is found at the earliest stage, around 90 out of 100 people survive for at least five years after diagnosis (Source- Cancer Research UK).

 

Why is this especially important in Greater Manchester?

Not enough people in our region are getting screened, and too many suffer unnecessarily. Cancer impacts individuals, families, employers, and communities.

How can I raise awareness?

• Book awareness session with Answer Cancer
• Use alongside other wellbeing interventions
• Include in staff inductions and meetings
• Share online risk checkers
• Display posters
• Use Answer Cancer’s training and quizzes
• Share free videos in community languages
• Include in 1-2-1s

Talking about screening has knock-on effects for other health issues like cholesterol and diabetes, improving workplace health and spreading the message to families and communities.

What happens next?

If you are interested in making the Bee Seen, Get Screened pledge, please scan our QR code, or contact emily.lambert@vsnw.org.uk or info@answercancergm.org.uk to get your questions answered simply sign up here– it takes 2 minutes!!

The Answer Cancer team can support you with a communications pack, sample press release, and staff training on screening—if you’d find this helpful.