Health horizons

The right support can improve cancer outcomes

Social support can have a big impact on how a cancer patient navigates their treatment and the emotional and psychological challenges of their diagnosis.

It even influences survival, with recently published research showing that social isolation increases the risk of all-cause mortality by 34%. ¹

Another study found that social support has ”positive health outcomes, including physical adaptation, emotional adjustment, and overall quality of life". ²

Early intervention

Timely diagnosis has a huge impact on cancer survival, so effective support starts with signposting information and resources which build symptom awareness and encourage employees to act on any concerns.

Central to this are Bupa’s Specialist Cancer Centres which ensure prompt treatment and eliminate unnecessary anxiety — 95% of people who access these services receive reassurance within days, or on the same day. ³

And if there is a problem, the workplace will be an important element in a patient’s support structure — not least because of the time we spend at work, but also because of the financial impact of a diagnosis and treatment.

Research by Macmillan Cancer Support show that 83% of people with cancer in the UK experience a negative financial impact following their diagnosis.⁴And one in four patients does not return to work after treatment. ⁵

Workplace support

A recent review in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology identifies social support in the workplace as an important resource “that is associated with a range of positive outcomes for individuals and organisations alike. ⁶

“Having supportive colleagues affects employees’ motivation and wellbeing,” the researchers add.

Similarly, team members are an important resource for every business, and the demographics of cancer make effective support a workplace issue, with the Institute for Employment Studies reporting that half of those diagnosed are of working age. ⁷

Mental health

Understandably, a cancer diagnosis can unleash a torrent of emotions — but every patient will experience a unique and evolving range of psychological challenges.

As their emotional and support needs will differ at different times in their treatment, workplace support must reflect this.

Multiple factors will also influence an individual employee’s response to a diagnosis, including their age, sex, education, relationship status, socio-economic circumstances, cultural background, cancer type and how advanced the cancer is when it is diagnosed.

Studies show that one of the most influential factors is the patient’s mental health at the time of their diagnosis, with poor psychological wellbeing associated with greater anxiety and depression.

Conversely, greater emotional resilience has been linked to better outcomes.

Many patients say that the emotional impact of their cancer is worse than the physical impact. And the way that patients process these emotions can also have a long-term impact on their mental health.

How to support

So, how can organisations support employees and ensure the best outcomes for individuals and teams?

Building resilience and providing across-the-board mental health support will ensure that employees are in the best place, emotionally, to deal with their diagnosis and ongoing care — whatever that may be.

This will also help with the ongoing psychological impact of living with cancer, which can persist for many years after treatment.

This can be achieved through workplace wellbeing programmes and providing access to resources and self-help tools such as the JAAQ at Work engagement platform and evidence-based SilverCloud mental health support.

Line managers will be key players in delivering more personalised targeted support, so it’s important to ensure they have the skills and resources to deliver this.

Factors to consider

Proactive conversations

When an employee is diagnosed with cancer some degree of disclosure will be necessary to accommodate medical appointments and time off for treatment and side-effects.

Create an environment which makes this as simple and empathetic as possible, and allow the employee to decide how much, or little, they prefer to share.

Ask open-ended questions such as “What one thing can we do to support you and other colleagues with cancer?”

Employees who are dealing with a diagnosis and those who have returned to work can provide valuable insights on the support and adjustments that are most likely to deliver tangible benefits.

Flexibility

Patients will be able to schedule their treatment, but they will not be able to schedule any side effects from treatment, or the emotional and physical impact of their diagnosis and treatment.

Provide reassurance that there is flexibility around their hours and workload, and ask if there are any workplace accommodations, or even a change of role, which might help.

Research by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) shows that the adjustments patients value most highly include access to ‘return to work coaching’, help with travel and parking, access Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and occupational health advice.

Signpost resources and support

IES data shows that only 57% of cancer patients returning to work are aware of the protections set out in the 2010 Equality Act.

Using HR and line managers to raise awareness of the obligations and adjustments set out in the Act will help to head off any issues and benefit all teams.

Ongoing concerns

The impact of cancer does not stop at the end of treatment.

A large-scale study published last year on the eClinical Medicine platform reported that even five years after their diagnosis, people who have had cancer are at greater risk of mental health problems.

More and more people are not living with cancer, and survivors may experience a wide range of long term issues caused by their treatment. These include infertility, digestive issues, bone loss, cognitive changes, hearing loss, heart problems and post-traumatic stress.

Effective support

Dr Rebecca Rohrer, Clinical Innovations and Genomics Director, Bupa, says, “Providing effective support for cancer patients and survivors takes thought and commitment, but there are significant returns on both an individual and an organisation level.

“Apart from the obvious benefits around talent retention and helping business-critical colleagues return to work, many of the workplace wellbeing support this entails will also benefit teams across your organisation.”

Bupa is a leader in cancer support and prevention and we have a suite of tools and resources which will help your organisations and line-managers provide meaningful support and positive outcomes.

Cancer promise for those that are covered including mental health support, find out more here: Health insurance with cancer cover | Bupa Cancer Promise | Bupa UK

Watch our Workplace Academy video where we share practical tools and first-hand insights to help managers offer meaningful support to employees navigating a cancer diagnosis: Supporting employees through cancer | Workplace Academy | Bupa UK - YouTube

Resources for everyone to access around cancer support and care: Cancer support at work | Bupa UK

Watch the full Health Horizons event, Transformations in cancer care, which explored genomic testing, innovative treatment and return to work policies to help organisations drive meaningful change that protects both people and performance. Watch here: Health Horizons | Workplace Events | Bupa UK