Cancer screening and the vital role workplaces can play

In the UK, it’s estimated that, on average, someone is diagnosed with cancer at least every 75 seconds[1]. It is also estimated that there are almost 3.5million people living with cancer in the UK[1].

Of particular concern is that cancer rates amongst the under 50s are rising by some of the fastest rates, according to Cancer Research UK[2]. In fact, cancer rates in 25 to 49-year-olds in the UK rose by 24% between 1995 and 2019[2].

Separate research has found that employees will need time off work at each stage of their cancer journey – with the average employee absent for around 15 weeks[3]. Cancer therefore is increasingly a health challenge that employers can’t ignore.

The growing impact of cancer comes at a time when workplace health and wellbeing are in the spotlight thanks to the Government’s recently published Keep Britain Working report, and the prevention of illness has become priority for Government policymakers and employers alike.

So, what role can businesses play in supporting their employees when it comes to the prevention and early detection of cancer and why should it become more of a priority?

Cancer prevention and early intervention

We’ve previously written about the alarming rise in cancer among younger demographics and how this can be, in part, attributed to lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, excess alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet. Employers are well placed to support their employees to foster healthier lifestyle habits that help to improve their overall health and wellbeing through workplace interventions.

However, as Dr Rishi Patel, Clinical Operations Director at Vitality points out, when it comes to cancer, preventative healthcare is as much about early detection as it is focusing on lifestyle risk factors.

“The evidence is clear, early diagnosis is linked to better survival,” he says, adding that “early-stage breast, bowel, and lung cancer can have survival rates several times higher than late-stage detection”.

He points specifically to cancer screening, which involves testing people without symptoms to help identify early signs of cancer or pre-cancerous changes.

“Screenings aim to identify cancer at an early stage when treatment is more effective, and survival rates are significantly higher,” he adds.

To put this into context, research has found that more than six in 10 people survive lung cancer for five or more years if diagnosed at the earliest stage – a figure that falls to less than one in 10 people when lung cancer is diagnosed at more advanced stages[4].

"The evidence is clear, early diagnosis is linked to better survival." 

Dr Rishi Patel, Vitality

Attending a cancer screening

According to Dr Patel, eligibility for cancer screening is targeted rather than universal, adding that, in England, NHS programmes invite people based on the type of cancer, age, gender and risk.

‘Higher-risk’ individuals – including those with genetic risk, strong family history of cancer or other clinical risk factors – may be offered earlier or more frequent screening, Dr Patel explains.

While Dr Patel says that screening is “not recommended for every type of cancer or age group”, he says it’s crucial for people to take up tests when they are eligible, or it is recommended to do so.

However, a significant portion of people aren’t attending; 2025 estimates found that at least nine million people in the UK are not up to date with their cancer screening[5].

For Dr Patel, barriers could range from a fear of diagnosis and misconceptions around the risks of screening, to simply not having the time or difficulties around finding convenient appointments – especially for those juggling busy work schedules.

How employers can encourage employees to get checked

In recent years, we’ve seen a marked shift in expectations from employees when it comes to health and wellbeing and the role employers should play. According to Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace report, 63% of employees now believe their employer should do more to support their health[6].

Workplace benefits like Private Medical Insurance are increasingly seen as a must-have and as products have evolved, with a greater emphasis on prevention alongside private hospital treatment, services like cancer screening are now an integral part of the cover.

For employers, this creates opportunities to offer faster routes to screening and early diagnosis and may resonate more with employers who are worried about access to cancer care elsewhere.

Dr Patel says that “health insurance and policy integration can ensure that employee benefits cover recommended screenings and communicate eligibility clearly”.

As part of this, he says that employers can also use media communications, reminders and educational programmes to improve awareness and completion.

Additionally, providing flexible working hours for medical appointments, offering dedicated paid leave to attend cancer screenings or arranging on-site or nearby screening could help to improve uptake.

The importance of streamlined pathways

Getting a screening is one thing but, Dr Patel adds that it should be seamlessly integrated into a diagnostic pathway, “otherwise the benefits of early detection can be lost”.

“Streamlined pathways can help reduce costs by avoiding fragmentation, unnecessary tests or late diagnosis due to delays,” Dr Patel says, adding that it “can also help to guide the individual through their onward journey care”.

Vitality’s Cancer Support Programme, for example, offers members undergoing treatment access to specialist case management and personalised lifestyle coaching, to help manage treatment side effects, nutrition and rehabilitation via an app.       

According to Vitality’s Health Claims Insights Report, Vitality members who enrolled on the Cancer Support Programme experienced a 40% increase in physical activity, 35% reduction in depression and an 11.5% improvement in quality of life[7].

With research finding that cancer rates are rising in under-50s[2], screening that supports early detection is an important tool in helping staff get timely access to care and to ensure they get the best possible outcome. It’s not just the right thing to do for your employees, it’s good for your business too.

[1] Cancer statistics in the UK, MacMillan, 2023

[2] Cancer rates rising in under 50s, Cancer Research UK, 2024

[3] The £1.6bn cancer absence cost to UK businesses in 2024, Reframe Cancer, 2024

[4] Why is early cancer diagnosis important? Cancer Research UK, 2023

[5] Stand up to Cancer launches a screening checker, Cancer Research UK, 2025

[6] 10 years of Britain’s Healthiest Workplace: the changing face of the UK at work, Vitality, 2025

[7] VitalityHealth Claims Insight Report, Vitality, 2025

Related: Supporting staff returning to work following cancer treatment