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Employers can benefit from a new resource launched today by leading cancer charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. The Essential Work and Cancer Toolkit, has been produced to help employers support people with cancer, and their carers, in the workplace, and features an employer’s guide produced in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
The toolkit will give employers a better understanding of the physical, emotional and financial impact of a cancer diagnosis, practical guidance on how to manage employees with cancer and information on how people with cancer are protected by the Equality Act.
Each year, over 100,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer in the UK1 and many of the UK’s six million carers are looking after a friend or relative with cancer2.
Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
‘With the number of people with cancer set to double from two to four million in the next 20 years, it’s vital employers are equipped to deal with people who are working through, or after, cancer. ‘Businesses would reap big rewards if people with cancer were offered effective back-to-work support. Helping people with cancer to stay in work doesn’t have to be difficult and it is likely to be cheaper and easier than recruiting a replacement or defending a discrimination claim. ‘We hope by using the toolkit, HR departments and managers will feel more capable and confident in supporting their employees affected by cancer. ’
‘With the number of people with cancer set to double from two to four million in the next 20 years, it’s vital employers are equipped to deal with people who are working through, or after, cancer.
‘Businesses would reap big rewards if people with cancer were offered effective back-to-work support. Helping people with cancer to stay in work doesn’t have to be difficult and it is likely to be cheaper and easier than recruiting a replacement or defending a discrimination claim.
‘We hope by using the toolkit, HR departments and managers will feel more capable and confident in supporting their employees affected by cancer. ’
The toolkit includes an employer’s guide produced in collaboration with CIPD, as well as posters, booklets for people with cancer and their carers and top tips for line managers. A forum of some of Macmillan’s corporate partners - nPower, Ford, New Look, Nationwide Building Society and Coventry County Council - advised Macmillan on the toolkit and the wider strategy and direction of the wider Work and Cancer Programme.
Ben Willmott, Head of Public Policy at CIPD, said:
‘Supporting and managing people affected by cancer is a growing challenge for employers as more and more people who have cancer are learning to live with it as a chronic rather than a terminal illness. Their families, friends and work colleagues are also having to adapt and learn how best to support them. ‘The Macmillan toolkit provides practical advice to enable employers to ensure their policies and practices are tailored to providing the necessary help to support people's recovery and enable people with cancer to remain in work, if that is what they want. It also provides guidance to help managers respond appropriately and sensitively to staff affected by cancer, including those who are carers.’
‘Supporting and managing people affected by cancer is a growing challenge for employers as more and more people who have cancer are learning to live with it as a chronic rather than a terminal illness. Their families, friends and work colleagues are also having to adapt and learn how best to support them.
‘The Macmillan toolkit provides practical advice to enable employers to ensure their policies and practices are tailored to providing the necessary help to support people's recovery and enable people with cancer to remain in work, if that is what they want. It also provides guidance to help managers respond appropriately and sensitively to staff affected by cancer, including those who are carers.’
The free toolkit can be ordered from Macmillan’s website – www.macmillan.org.uk/work|
***Spokespeople and images available on request***
Rebecca Openshaw, Media & PR Officer, Macmillan Cancer Support
020 7840 4699 (out of hours 07801 307068)
Ropenshaw@macmillan.org.uk|
• 1 Cancer Research UK. Cancer incidence by age - UK statistics (2008)
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/age/|
• 2 http://www.carersuk.org/newsroom/stats-and-facts|
• Three-quarters of UK line managers (73%) say they would find it helpful to receive information or updates on how to deal with cancer in the workplace according to a YouGov online survey of 2,281 UK line managers conducted between 26th July – 9th August 2010.
The toolkit includes:
Macmillan provides resources on work and cancer for employees, carers and self-employed people as well as employers. These are available at www.macmillan.org.uk/work|
Employers and employees with questions about work and cancer can call Macmillan’s Support Line on freephone 0808 808 00 00.
Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support. Working alongside people affected by cancer, Macmillan works to improve cancer care. More than one in three of us get cancer. Two million of us are living with it. If you are affected by cancer Macmillan can help.
Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. Calls are free, including from mobiles or visit www.macmillan.org.uk|
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is Europe’s largest HR and development professional body with over 135,000 members, supporting and developing those responsible for the management and development of people within organisations.