UK Workers Value Jobs Over Private Cancer Treatment

UK workers are more concerned about keeping their job than getting private treatment if they were diagnosed with cancer, according to research out from Aon Consulting, a pensions, benefits and HR consultancy firm.

Around 1,300 working adults across the UK were asked what benefit they would prefer to receive if they were diagnosed with cancer. The findings showed that nearly one in two workers (49%) would opt for extended paid sick leave that would allow them to return to their job following treatment, in preference to funding for private treatment (27%), or a cash lump compensation payment with healthcare provided by the NHS (23%). This sentiment was reflected across the UK. The percentage of workers preferring to return to work through extended sick leave pay rose to nearly 60% amongst workers in Leeds but dipped slightly to 43% of Manchester workers.

The results showed that among male and female workers, female workers are much more likely than their male colleagues to opt for extended sick leave pay (58% vs. 41%). Indeed, nearly a third of men favoured funding of private treatment compared with just under a quarter of women (23%).

Interestingly, the findings demonstrate that workers are prepared to put their faith in NHS cancer treatment despite findings in 2006 from the government’s National Radiotherapy Advisory Group that showed British cancer patients get 25% less treatment than their European counterparts. Currently over 90,000* of the UK workforce are diagnosed with cancer each year and the number is expected to rise significantly putting further pressure on the NHS and calling into question its ability to fund treatment. There are fears from leading cancer specialists that NHS patients risk losing out on revolutionary cancer treatment that they are currently unable to pay towards.

For UK employers, the findings clearly show the need to review current policies and benefits to ensure they are not funding expensive treatments that their employees may not value. Currently employers appear happy to offer funding for costly treatments to those covered under private care at the expense of alternatively investing in improved rehabilitation and support for all.

The findings are also interesting for employers in terms of the pressure on healthcare benefit plans. At the moment in the UK the default position is to fund all NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) approved drugs and/or to extend this to include any drug satisfying the European Medicines Agency license criteria. The main providers are already estimating that this is set to add at least 5% to already high medical inflation (10%). If it remains unchecked, the reality is that the effect might be much higher.

Commenting on the findings, Alex Bennett, head of healthcare at Aon Consulting said: "It is interesting for employers to note that most workers value the security of maintaining their income and one day returning to work over alternatives of lump sum compensation or access to private healthcare. Of course, it is unclear how much this view might change if the NHS proves unable to provide groundbreaking drug therapies.

"The findings show a real need for employers to assess whether current policies and benefits match up with what their employees really need. Reconfiguring these to provide employees with choices, and their colleagues with support to welcome them back, may make more sense than funding expensive treatments that may not be as valued as the alternatives."