Life - Articles - World Cancer Day: Only 17% of employers focus on cancer

With World Cancer Day (4 February) bringing the topic to the fore, Everywhen is advising employers to consider the risks and factors regarding cancer to ensure their support is effective. 

 

Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Everywhen, says: “We need to focus our efforts on cancer and ensure support for employees is appropriate. Lifestyle support and screening are essential benefits that we’d encourage employers to consider, but they will only make an impact on prevention and early diagnosis if the risks are understood.”

 

It is estimated that 40% of cancers could be prevented with lifestyle changes. These include such things as, stopping smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, protecting against certain infections and cutting back on alcohol. All of which can be supported through employee benefits.

 

For lifestyle support to make a difference to cancer risk, it is vital to consider the demographic of the workforce. Some employee groups may be more sedentary, others more active, some may have healthier eating habits than others. It is also important not to make assumptions. Just because a workforce is young, for example, does not mean it is healthier. There is support to encourage healthier behaviours within many benefits, and advisers will be able to discuss the best ways to determine risks and the most appropriate strategies to mitigate these as a result.

 

The Everywhen research shows that over a quarter (26%) of employers will focus on screening in the coming year, which is a highly effective tool for early diagnosis and prevention. Screening is usually a standalone employee benefit but some healthcare providers will offer discounts on it and some cash plans may reimburse the costs. Health MOTs and genetic testing are also a good way to pick up undiagnosed risks and potential issues. These should all be paired with education and advice so that preventative action is taken, such as changes to lifestyle.

 

Specific cancer support is now available as an employee benefit, with expert cancer care from risk to recovery, screening and treatment. This may include care from providing access to oncologists and specialist occupational therapists to lymphoedema experts to psychologists. They are there to provide screening, drive better outcomes, offer support and help with navigating the healthcare system. 

 

The figures are different for companies with overseas employees, with nearly a quarter (24%) saying they will focus on cancer and serious illness this year, compared to 11% of employers with UK staff only. The focus on screening is also higher for those with overseas employers, with 37% saying they will be focussing on screening, compared to 17% of employers with UK staff only.

 

Sarah Dennis, head of international at Everywhen, says: “Access to cancer treatment overseas can be broader than in the UK. Some parts of the world offer experimental treatments and drugs that are recognised in the rest of the world but cannot be accessed in the UK. These do, of course, come at a cost and this can be astronomical, especially in areas like Southeast Asia, for example. So having medical cover is vital.”  

 

It is also important for employers to consider the impact on the business if an employee is facing cancer. The research shows that 8% of employers say serious medical conditions such as cancer are the main reason for short-term absences, and 27% say they are the main reason for long-term absences. So putting support in place will safeguard the business as well as its employees.

 

Debra Clark concludes: “There are so many areas of health and wellbeing support that focus on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of and recovery from cancer. Many of these services are even embedded within existing benefits like group risk or private healthcare. Often it is a case of employers needing the right advice to target their efforts in the right direction to ensure their demographic of employees are supported in the right way.”