The Prostate Scotland Workplace Initiative and Workplace (WPTK)

Prostate disease and prostate cancer are topics that are a major issue but little known problem, although awareness of the issue is slowly improving. The aim of the Prostate Scotland Workplace Initiative is to provide information and increase awareness of prostate disease and prostate cancer through providing information to employees via the workplace.

Prostate disease and prostate cancer are not often spoken about even though prostate disease affects nearly 1 in 2 men over the age of 50 at some point in their life.

One in ten men in Scotland may develop prostate cancer and latest NHS projections suggest that the incidence is set to increase by 35% in the next 10 years to 2027. We also know that the earlier that prostate disease is diagnosed and treated, often the better the chance of the treatment being successful.

With over 75% of people of working age being in employment the workplace is an important route for distributing information about health and health issues. Scotland’s companies and businesses have a strong record in taking forward occupational and wider health issues and this initiative is designed to complement this work. Holding a workplace initiative on prostate disease can produce benefits for both employers and employees – it can help towards a healthier, motivated and productive workforce and many employees appreciate the effort and care that is taken by their firm in looking after employee health issues.

If your organisation is working towards a Healthy Working Lives Award, then running a prostate awareness initiative may help contribute to achieving an award.

The Toolkit has been designed to encourage and help you, your company, business or organisation take forward awareness about prostate issues in the workplace. We developed it following helpful feedback and comments from a number of pathfinder organisations. The Workplace Tool Kit was reviewed and revised in 2015.

The Tool Kit includes:
• Information about prostate disease and prostate cancer;
• Key statistics about prostate disease and prostate cancer as well as evidence gathered by Prostate Scotland about lack of awareness;
• Top tips for a successful workplace initiative;
• Benefits of a workplace initiative;
• Putting it all into practice; case studies of firms who undertook a workplace initiative;
• Sample article for your newsletter or company intranet as well as a sample advert;
• Evaluation form to feedback to us your achievements and comments;
• A guide to further information;
• Order form for additional materials;
• Sample awareness and information resources.

ToolBox Workshops

Following on the success of the WPTK, we developed our ToolBox Workshop (TBWS). This is short (around 30 – 35 minutes) power-point presentation that we deliver to employees in their workplaces throughout Scotland in whatever location that might be; construction sites, the factory floor, council depots and offices.

The TBWS have been very well received,

“It was most definitely useful. I had heard about prostate cancer but never knew much about it so the graphics and info was first class.”

“The session provided an awareness of triggers to look out for which may point to Prostate problems and my assumption was that this usually meant prostate cancer which I now know is not always the case. I will definitely pass on the information that was provided to my husband and other male relatives.”

“Thank you so much for your very informative and “comfortable” awareness presentation on Monday and last night’s double session. Everyone in attendance has spoken very highly of this and also our colleagues……………….. have asked for the presentation as they wish to cascade this out to the rest of their company too at other sites”.

We do ask that there is a minimum of 12 attendees per workshop and if possible have 2 or 3 workshops per site. So we can make best use of time and resources, we try to arrange to visit 2 or 3 businesses/organisations in each area.

Like to find out more?
Please get in touch by calling 0131 603 8663 or email info@prostatescotland.org.uk