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United Kingdom 1 – Legal protection for workers with disabilities, including oncological conditions. The 1995 Disability Discrimination Act classifies cancer as a disability. As a result, people with cancer are protected from any form of discrimination arising from this condition, such as mobbing, unequal treatment in terms of working conditions and so on. Furthermore, according to the law, employers have to provide workers with reasonable accommodation in terms of working opportunities, trying to meet their professional needs also after their recruitment (by changing their working time, by granting sick leave for medical examinations, and by allowing them to opt for teleworking). Whenever an employee suffers discrimination or unfair dismissal, he/she must report the matter to his/her superiors. In cases in which this is not enough, the employee can file a formal complaint to be dealt with at company level (Grievance Committee). If the employee is not satisfied, he/she can file a complaint to the Employment Tribunal (by filling in an ad hoc form) within three months of the alleged violation. The local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) can offer free legal advice. The duration of leave of absence from work is established by the employer, according to the specific company policy. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) [www.dwp.gov.uk] provides information on sickness benefits (Statutory Sick Pay -SSP). 2 – Specific Legal Protection for people with cancer The Department of Health is currently discussing a five-year plan aimed at promoting cancer prevention and treatment. In this regard, representatives of the coalition known as ‘Cancer 52’ have been invited to contribute to the consultation. The name ‘Cancer 52’ refers to the fact they represent a group of people with rare oncological diseases, that have killed more than 50% of people with this specific condition. 3 – Specific Legal Protection for women with breast cancer Not available - Administrative procedures related to the above-mentioned points (1,2,3) Not available - Bargaining Not Available - Case Law Not Available - National Best Practices For people with cancer In July 2007, on the basis of the 2003 European Commission directives on cancer screening, the UK Cancer Research Institute launched a screening campaign (Screening Matters Campaign) aimed at raising political and public awareness on the issue. The United Kingdom was one of the first European countries to promote national screening for bowel cancer, and the project was funded by charitable institutions. Today, the initiative is well developed, and the next step is to involve four British municipalities. The goal of the body promoting the project is to screen at least three million people over the next five years, to give everyone in the country the opportunity to be screened, and to provide special screening programmes and qualified medical personnel. The website is www.cancercampaigns.org.uk The private TV network GMTV has also set up a hotline, in order to provide information on colon cancer. In this three-minute TV programme, callers can talk to the journalist Lynn Faulds Wood, an expert in symptomatology and the current president of the European network of people with cancer, who herself had cancer 16 years ago. Department of Health provides also a special free phone number. People Management, a company dealing with human resources, occupation and business, has launched a campaign against cancer (Working through cancer), setting up an exhaustive section on the issue on its website (http://www.peoplemanagemente.com.uk/pm/sections/news/campaigns/workingthrough-cancer.htm ). The partner of this campaign is Macmillan, and it also involves researchers from the University of Manchester, the Welsh Assembly, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Nationwide and Ford. This example shows how the protection for people with disabilities might involve not only the enterprise concerned, but other social actors as well. As for Macmillan, (www.macmillan.org.uk/Get_Support/Find_information/Working_through_cancer/W orking_through_cancer.aspx ), it is a leading organisation that supports people with disabilities outside the enterprise. It aims at providing sick workers with a suitable and pleasant working environment. Here are some examples of its activity: first line managers are strongly supported in their activities and during their absence; the working time and the working place are changed, according to the worker’s health; in the case of absence from work due to medical treatment, the company provides paid sick leave; a gradual return to work is provided for sick employees; the colleagues who have recovered from cancer act as mentors; sick workers are provided with external advice on the matter; a special information telephone line (known as Cancer Line) has been set up; terminally ill workers are given careful consideration; the Employee Assistance Programme provides specialist advice; there are specific agreements in terms of sickness benefits, while good value medical and life insurance is offered; in the case of recruitment and career advancement, a determined effort is made to prevent discriminatory conduct; training and information are provided to those who are indirectly affected by the disease (Macmillan Management Guidance on Cancer in the Workplace and Cancer Guide) and the issue is widely discussed. - Materials provided by Macmillan on how to support sick worker’s families is available at: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Documents/Support_Material/Get_support/Working_th rough_cancer/Carers_Policy.pdf. the BT (a leading telecommunication company) launched an information campaign against cancer, after noticing that a number of employees fell ill with oncological pathologies. According to a survey carried out in the UK by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), only a small percentage of employers have adopted specific measures to deal with cases of cancer or serious disease, and to monitor such cases in their own business. For women with breast cancer The above-mentioned screening campaign also involves breast cancer. In this regard, The Breast Cancer Campaign (http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/), involves 62 UK scientists who provide a significant contribution to research. Furthermore, an online bulletin on related parliamentary initiatives is published periodically. The main campaign activities are: - Science For Life (http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/whatwedo/science_for_life/ ), that deals with scientific and medical research; - Getting Better care for people with breast cancer, an organisation that is part of the Cancer Campaigning Group (http://www.cancercampaigninggroup.org.uh/ ) involving 40 voluntary organisations and charitable institutions. In Scotland, this organisation also supports a national plan of action. See: http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/whatwedo/better_care/ ; - Breast screening; The Screening Matters Campaign has been launched to boost the NHS Breast Screening Programme. See: http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/whatwedo/breastscreening/ As regards this Programme, the social network Facebook has been involved, allowing its users to make a small donation to the research (at least £1.50), and providing those who contribute with a special sign (Pink Ribbon) on their personal web page. Please consult: http://www.breastcancercampaign.org/shop/facebook/ http://apps.facebook.com/breastcancercampaign/ Further information England Equality and Human Rights Commission Disability Helpline (England) FREEPOST MID02164 Stratford upon Avon CV37 9BR Email: [email protected] Wales Equality and Human Rights Commission Helpline Wales FREEPOST RRLR-UEYB-UYZL 1st Floor Callaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5BT Email: [email protected] Scotland Equality and Human Rights Commissions Helpline Scotland Freepost RRLL-GYLB-UJTA The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DU Email: [email protected] Northern Ireland Equality Commissions for Northern Ireland Equality House 7-9 Shaftesbury Square Belfast BT2 7DP Email: [email protected] Statistics: Analysis of the processed 2006 Eurostat data. Mortality for cancer (standardized data considering 1.000.000 cases) UK 1995 2041 1996 2020 1997 1973 1998 1966 1999 1927 2000 1850 % Variation 2001 1914 0,191% 0,006% 0,204% 0,202% -0,002% 0,197% -0,005% 0,197% -0,001% 0,193% -0,004% 2002 1901 0,190% -0,001% 2003 1856 0,186% -0,004% 2004 1838 0,184% -0,002% 2005 1815 0,182% -0,002% 2006 0,185% -0,008% 2006 Eurostat data progress chart. Mortality for cancer (standardized data considering 1.000.000 cases) UK Cases on 1.000.000 2100 2000 1900 1800 1700 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 years 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005