Movember. Occupational Health. Mental and Physical Wellbeing. These are all topics that are increasingly in the public eye, topics of conversation that are taking place on social media and led by those who truly commit and strive to champion the cause. But how often are these topics talked about, or dealt with, in your workplace?
Tackling Prostate Cancer Stigma and Raising Awareness
We understand that cancer impacts women as well, and with frightening statics around the number of people likely to receive some sort of cancer diagnosis in their lifetime we should always take time to talk about this. But this November, we’re particularly looking at talking about practical ways of tackling any stigma or concerns about the practicalities around diagnosing or identifying a risk of prostate cancer.
Health and wellbeing are hugely important subjects for us here at ORBIS, and we’ll be looking at particular subject matters throughout the year – stay tuned for more information in 2024 about supporting workers with perimenopause and menopause, about easy and cost effective ways of diagnosing diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure monitoring and so much more. Link to (https://orbisenvironmental.com/occupational-health-assessment/) for more info.
Prostate Cancer: Early Detection through Blood Test
The headline is this – there doesn’t need to be a requirement for awkward bum checks – prostate cancer markers can in face be checked through a simple blood finger prick test. As ever, please seek specific advice and assistance from your GP or other healthcare specialist you may see on a regular basis if you have any particularly concerning symptoms. But in essence, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) markers are indicators in the blood that can give important information about prostate health. They are proteins made by the prostate and can be used to help detect prostate issues at an early stage.
Recognizing Subtle Prostate Cancer Symptoms
The typical symptoms men are warned to be on the lookout for in terms of prostate health are as follows around bathroom habits – like frequent urination, trouble starting or stopping, blood in the urine or a weak flow. If you notice any of these, it’s worth having a chat with your doctor as early as possible. Other things like pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, pelvis or rectal area, or the upper thighs might get put down to age, exercise or generally otherwise ignored.
PSA Testing: A Simple Step for Prostate Health
But here’s the thing to remember: prostate cancer doesn’t always shout loudly, and more often than not these symptoms are ignored with many thinking ‘it’s ok, it’ll go away’. It’s also important to note that high PSA levels don’t always necessarily indicate a cancer risk. Other factors, like age or the size of the prostate gland, can influence PSA levels so if it is higher than might be expected for you, it’s a good indication of needing to explore things further with your GP.
A PSA Testing Day can be arranged at your workplace, at a time and date to suit you and your team – contact the Orbis Environmental Occupational Health Team today to talk about how this could work for you.
The link between physical and mental health couldn’t be stronger – worrying about concerning health symptoms, or working in an environment where you may be exposed to hazards harmful to your health can be a real cause of concern. Our Occupational Health Assessments strive to create a positive, open and supportive atmosphere in their appointments. There’s often a concern that the appointments are there to ‘catch people out’ and employees often approach the sessions with a degree of nervousness, but they soon find this not to be the case at all.
Occupational Health Assessments are like a secure haven for your well-being. Picture it as a cozy space where your health takes centre stage. These assessments prioritize your safety and confidentiality above all else. Your personal information is guarded by GDPR, ensuring that you can openly share your concerns and health details without a worry. It’s all about creating a space where you can comfortably navigate the path to a healthier and happier you.
A Win-Win for Employers and Employees
The appointments are geared around a medical questionnaire which looks like an overall health ‘MOT’, and then moves into more technical and targeted assessments. Audiometry, spirometry, skin checks for dermatitis, musculoskeletal assessments, HAVS symptoms, and eyesight tests can all be incorporated. It’s also important to us to make time to talk to the employees about any symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression, regardless of whether the causes sit inside or outside of the working environment.
A robust Occupational Health System should be helpful to both employees and employers alike. For an employer, the benefit of knowing that control measures within the workplace are protecting their employees health, as well as having a positive impact on their claims defensibility. For the employee, its about giving them a safe space to discuss their health and wellbeing, as well as finding new ways in which they can seek advice and support. Plus, it’s often a lot easier than booking in to see their GP!
Signposting employees to ways in which they can go on to help themselves, or exploring the options which are easily and readily available to them is a huge part of what we do. The data collected in these appointments is treated as confidential, and will only be disclosed with prior consent from the employee. An overall summary is provided to the employer, highlighting where any potential causes for concern or further investigation may be warranted but the overall objective is simple: open communication and support. If you don’t know what the problem might be, how do you know how best to resolve it. We are here to help, to guide, and to advise. Talk to our Occupational Health Team today to find out how we can support you, your business, and your team.
Impact of Occupational Health on Workers’ Well-being – By the Numbers
- 1.8 million employed individuals experiencing work-related illnesses.
- 914,000 workers enduring stress, depression, or anxiety due to work-related factors.
- 2,268 fatalities resulting from mesothelioma linked to past asbestos exposures in 2021.
- Employee health investment enhances productivity, with work-related issues costing the UK economy billions, according to HSE.
- ONS reports 131.4 million working days lost in the UK in 2020 due to sickness, averaging 4.1 days per worker, leading to significant business costs.
- 477,000 workers grappling with work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
- 123,000 workers attributing their COVID-19 to potential exposure in the workplace.
- Thriving at Work reveals poor mental health costs UK employers £33-42 billion yearly, impacting productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover.
- Financial Consequences: Non-compliance can lead to fines; HSE prosecutes companies falling short of standards.
- 1.6 million had work-related illnesses, 693,000 non-fatal injuries; health assessments can help reduce these figures.
- 135 workers lost their lives in work-related accidents during 2022/23.
- 36.8 million working days were lost due to work-related illnesses and workplace injuries.
- The estimated cost of injuries and ill health from existing working conditions amounted to £18.8 billion in 2019/20.
Where have we found our facts? For more information on the above, have a look at:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/
Business – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)
Thriving at Work: a review of mental health and employers – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)