Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Review – Screening to Start Earlier at Age 50:

Following a comprehensive review of the evidence, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent committee of screening experts, has recommended that bowel cancer screening begin 10 years earlier than it used to and should be offered from age 50 to 74 using the new and more accurate screening test, the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) at a sensitivity level of 20ug/g. Currently bowel cancer screening is offered every 2 years to men and women aged 60 to 74. People older than this can ask for a screening kit every 2 years by calling the free helpline on 0800 707 60 60. Using the kit, you collect small samples of your poo and post them to a lab which then checks them for tiny amounts of blood, which could be caused by cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) makes recommendations to government ministers in the 4 UK countries on all aspects of population screening. It ensures that screening provides more benefit than harm, at a reasonable cost to the NHS. Their recommendations are based on internationally recognised criteria and an evidence based review process.

Evidence showed that screening people at a younger age would allow more bowel cancers to be picked up at an earlier stage. Currently, men and women in England are first invited for screening at the age of 60 and sent a home testing kit. The change brings England in line with Scotland where bowel screening is already automatically offered from age 50. Cancer Research UK said it was delighted by the government’s decision to lower the age bowel screening starts.

An additional one-off test called bowel scope screening was introduced in England for men and women in their 56th year in 2018.

In August 2018, UK government ministers agreed that in the future bowel cancer screening in England will start at the age of 50. PHE and the NHS are looking at how this can best be achieved.

Bowel cancer is a general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel. Depending on where it starts, bowel cancer is sometimes called colon or rectal cancer.

Screening Tests

Faecal immunochemical test

The current home test kits are being improved. In the future, the plan is to send a more accurate test to everyone from the age of 50. A new test kit called ‘the faecal immunochemical test’ (FIT) was introduced in England in June 2019. This kit is now sent with all invitations for bowel cancer screening. People eligible for bowel cancer screening get an invitation letter, along with an information leafletexplaining screening and its possible benefits and risks. About a week later, the programme sends a FIT kit with instructions on how to use it at home. Results are sent out 2 weeks after the laboratory receives the completed kit. The screening programme offers individuals with an abnormal screening result a colonoscopy. This test involves a thin, flexible tube with a camera being inserted into the bowel to look for polyps which can turn cancerous.

Guaiac faecal occult blood test

The ‘guaiac faecal occult blood test’ (gFOBT) kit was phased out during 2019 and replaced by the FIT kit.

Bowel scope test

Bowel scope screening (also called a flexible sigmoidoscopy or ‘flexisig’) is an additional test for people in their 56th year. Bowel scope screening is being introduced by the NHS, but is not yet available everywhere.

Those who have an abnormal result after screening will be offered a colonoscopy.

The risk of bowel cancer rises steeply from around age 50-54 and rates are significantly higher among males than females. Starting screening 10 years earlier at 50 will help spot more abnormalities at an early stage that could develop into bowel cancer if not detected. The change would take time to implement but the new ‘FIT’ bowel screening test which is being rolled out is a much more convenient, user friendly and reliable test and the NHS and PHE say that this is a real opportunity to reshape our bowel screening programme and potentially detect the stages of bowel cancer much earlier.

Bowel Cancer Statistics and Risks

• Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK.
• 42,000 people diagnosed every year.
• More than 16,000 people die from the cancer annually in the UK.
• People are 14 times more likely to survive bowel cancer if it’s found early.
• Public information about bowel cancer screening is available on the NHS website.
• Members can also call the free bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

Symptoms of Bowel Cancer

• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo.
• A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason.
• A pain or lump in your tummy.

Cancer Research UK stated that this will mean more cancers can be spotted earlier, saving lives. When bowel cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, 9 in 10 people survive but when it is detected in the late stages, survival falls to 1 in 10. One of the biggest challenges is finding enough staff to carry out diagnostic tests, such as colonoscopies, which more people will need when screening is extended.Bowel cancer screening is one of 11 NHS national population screening programmes now available in the UK.

Attachment: NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Information Leaflet

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

20LTB039 Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Review – Screening to Start Earlier at Age 50

Bowel_Cancer_Screening_Leaflet

Royal Mail Group Property & Facilities Solutions Limited (RMG P&FSL) – Health Surveillance Programme:

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has been working with Royal Mail Group, Property & Facilities Solutions Limited in a joint extensive review of the health surveillance support programme for the RMP&FSL engineering grades, to be deployed in early 2020.

What is Health Surveillance?

Health Surveillance is a term that is used to describe a system of regular health checks that detect the early signs of work-related ill health among employees exposed to certain health risks, as set down in law and within control limits as determined by the Health and Safety Executive. Workplace health surveillance is a health and safety at work legal requirement where there is exposure to physical hazards, including (but not limited to): noise, vibration, solvents and fumes, lead, dusts and other substances potentially hazardous to health.

What are the benefits of Health Surveillance?

Providing a healthy workplace is as important as providing a safe place of work and safe systems of work.  Health surveillance can be used to help identify where more needs to be done to control risks and where early signs of work-related ill health are detected, employers can then take action to prevent further harm and protect employees.

Health surveillance is a legal requirement and should not be confused with:

• Workplace wellbeing checks, such as promoting healthy living.
• Fitness to work examinations e.g., DfT fitness to drive, operate cranes, forklift trucks or health assessments requested by night employees.

Is the Health Surveillance programme voluntary?

Royal Mail Group is legally required to provide health surveillance where there is an identified risk to health from hazardous substances. An employee must however, give their informed consent for health surveillance and are free to withdraw consent at any time. It must be emphasised, however, that health surveillance is there for the workforce’s protection and wellbeing. The CWU and Unite/CMA have been fully consulted and involved in the development of the programme. The Unions support the initiative and recommend employees participate.

Are there any exceptions?

Statutory medical surveillance is required, for example, under the Control of Lead at Work, Regulation 10, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations Regulation 11, Noise at Work Regulations Regulation 9, Vibration Regulations, Regulation 7 etc.

If medical surveillance is required by role and a person does not wish to participate, a review of related work activities will be undertaken.

Who is the occupational health provider?

Optima Health, Royal Mail Group’s approved occupational health provider will undertake the health surveillance appointments. Information gathered by Optima Health will be used solely as part of the Health Surveillance Programme to support and assist employees and to monitor their health and wellbeing and to ensure that the controls in place are adequate. It will be used for no other purpose and is ‘confidential’.

What happens next?

The CWU has been working with Royal Mail Group, Property and Facilities Solutions to create a comprehensive information pack which will be briefed out to teams by their managers prior to health surveillance appointments being arranged. The information contains a Q and A document which covers frequently asked questions. The health surveillance appointments will be arranged to coincide with team briefings where possible to reduce the amount of additional driving for those attending appointments.

Further information will be disseminated by Royal Mail Property and Facilities Solutions in due course. The CWU and Unite/CMA will continue to be fully involved at all levels in the Health Surveillance Programme both monitoring its deployment and undertaking a joint review at the appropriate time.

Attachments:-

• Occupational Health Surveillance – RMP&FS/ Unions Joint Statement
• RMPFS – Health Surveillance Q & A
• ‘How To’ Health Surveillance Employees Guide
• Example Report Letter – Hearing
• Example Report Letter – Vibration
• Example Report Letter – Skin
• HSE Guidance on Health Surveillance & Regulations Extracts – COSHH, Lead, Noise, Vibration.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

20LTB038 Royal Mail Group Property & Facilities Solutions Limited (RMG P&FSL) – Health Surveillance Programme

RMPFS Health Surveillance Joint Statement December 2019 Final

RMPFS – Health Surveillance Q A (009)

‘How To’ Guide – Health Surveillance for Employees v.9 Rev1

Practitioner Outcome – AUDIO

Practitioner Outcome – HAVS

Practitioner Outcome – Skin

Doc1 (3)

Election of:

• Royal Mail Divisional Representatives -2020
• Royal Mail Divisional Representatives (Substitute) – 2020
• Royal Mail Divisional Chair – 2020

Royal Mail Divisional Representatives & Royal Mail Divisional Representative (Sub)

Nominations are invited from Branches within the relevant divisions for the position of Royal Mail Divisional Representative (2 per division) and Royal Mail Divisional Representative (Substitute – 1 per Division) for the following divisions:

Anglia

London

Midland

North East

North Wales/North West

Scotland/Northern Ireland

South Central

South East

South West/South Wales

The term of office for these positions is two years and the successful candidates will take up office at the conclusion of the election (2 March 2020), however candidates should be aware that the above positions and divisions are currently under review by the CWU & Royal Mail and therefore the term of office may be subject to change prior to the conclusion of the 2 year term.

Nomination forms are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department. Completed forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nomine and should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary by 10 February 2020 (14:00).  

The timetable for the election is as follows:

Nominations Open:  27 January 2020

Nominations Close:  10 February 2020 (14:00)

Ballot Papers dispatched:  17 February 2020

Ballot Close:  2 March 2020 (first post)

If ballots are required for the positions of RM Divisional Representative and RM Divisional Representative (Substitute) they will be conducted on an individual member ballot basis and the ballots will be run in accordance with the CWU guidelines for Senior Regional/Field Official elections, which are attached for your information.

Royal Mail Divisional Chair

Nominations are invited from Branches within the relevant divisions for the position of Divisional Chair:

Anglia

London

Midland

North East

North Wales/North West

Scotland/Northern Ireland

South Central

South East

South West/South Wales

The term of office for these positions is two years and the successful candidates will take up office at the conclusion of the election (2 March 2020), however candidates should be aware that the above positions and divisions are currently under review by the CWU & Royal Mail and therefore the term of office may be subject to change prior to the conclusion of the 2 year term.

Nomination forms are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department. Completed forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, and should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary by 10 February 2020 (14:00).   

The timetable for the election is as follows:

Nominations Open:  27 January 2020

Nominations Close:  10 February 2020 (14:00)

Ballot Papers dispatched:  17 February 2020

Ballot Close:  2 March 2020 (first post)

If ballots are required for the position of RM Divisional Chair they will be conducted on a branch ballot basis and therefore paragraphs 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the attached Guidelines are not applicable on this occasion.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

20LTB040

Div Rep – 2020- Nomination Form

Div Rep Sub – 2020 – Nomination Form

Div Chair – 2020 – Nomination Form

Regulations 2020

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CWU GENERAL SECRETARY, CWU DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (POSTAL), CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY (POSTAL) and CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY (TFS)IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE ELECTION OF:

CWU GENERAL SECRETARY, CWU DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (POSTAL), CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY (POSTAL) and CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY (TFS)

Dear Colleague,

ELECTION OF CWU NATIONAL OFFICERS – 2020

The NEC is required to determine and publish to branches the procedures and regulations for the election of any CWU National Officer positions that are subject to the 5 year election criteria.

Accordingly please find below the proposed timetable and regulations for the above elections which are due to be held in January–April 2020.

• General Secretary

The General Secretary is the chief negotiator and principle spokesperson for the union.

• Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

The Deputy General Secretary (Postal) is the principle Officer responsible for all issues solely within the remit of the Postal Executive Committee.

• Assistant Secretary (Postal)

The above position is currently responsible for dealing with the following Royal Mail Group businesses; Mail Centres, Area Distribution Units, Royal Mail International, Air Network, Parcelforce Worldwide, Quadrant, RMSS, WBCs, Royal Mail Logistics, RDCs and VOCs.

• Assistant Secretary (TFS)

The above position is currently responsible for dealing with the following companies; BT Property & Facilities, Catering BTUK, Compass Eurest (BT Account), Elior (BT Account), Connect 44, ISS Eaton (Telefonica O2 UK Account), Manpower UK (BT Account), Telefonica O2 UK.

The timetable for the National Officer elections is as follows:

Nominations Open:  30 January 2020

Nominations Close:  20 February 2020 (14:00)

Ballot Packs finalised for dispatch:  6 March 2020 

Dispatch ballot material on:  10 March 2020  

Close of ballot:  31 March 2020 (first post)

Result:  2 April 2020

The election regulations stipulate that a copy of the regulations for these elections must be distributed to all branches in advance of the nomination process. A copy of these is therefore attached and I would be grateful if you could ensure that the election timetable and regulations are brought to the attention of the members of your branch.

The regulations will also be published on the CWU website and a copy will be issued to all candidates nominated to stand in the Elections.

Further information regarding the election, including the Nomination Forms will be sent to all relevant branches during w/c 27^th January. However branches are reminded that in order for nominations for the above positions to be valid then they will need to be submitted on the appropriate CWU HQ issued nomination form(s).

Elections Prize Draws

Branches are reminded that in order to protect the integrity of these very important national elections and more importantly, ensure that the union is legally compliant with the relevant legislation covering such elections, that election prize draws should not be conducted under any circumstances unless written authorisation has been given by the Senior Deputy General Secretary.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Senior Deputy General Secretary Department, CWU HQ, for the attention of Peter Metcalfe, telephone: 0208 971 7368, or email:pmetcalfe@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

20LTB037

Election Regulations 2020

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Time to stand with your union against Royal Mail introducing unagreed change

Dear Colleague

Today Royal Mail have announced executive action in 15 different offices across the UK.

At the moment no London Offices have been selected by Royal Mail for executive action.

The types of executive action they have chosen to take ranges from CSS machine closures , MPU closures, Post Box Strategy Revisions to Mail Centre alignments.

Executive action is Royal Mail introducing their plans or revisions without agreement.

In addition Royal Mail informed the union that they will be introducing a trial of parcel separation in the Swindon catchment area. This means that all larger than shoe box parcels will move to later in the day .

In Swindon they previously made all LAT duties Full time by making the front part a normal delivery and the back part delivering LAT products.

Royal Mail’s executive action means that the LAT duties will now perform all the larger parcels for the Swindon Office Catchment area and the delivery routes they are currently performing than gets absorbed by the walks who no longer have the larger parcels to deliver.

If Royal Mail believe this trail works, their plan is to roll it out in other areas. The difference being is that one duty in 6 will become a late driver delivering parcels above shoes box size and the remaining 5 duties would be asked to absorb the workload of the duty which was now delivering larger parcels.

In addition Royal Mail have announced they will be introducing Automated Hours Data Capture by executive action.

Their aim on this is that it records all hours from when you enter your office , every time you leave the floor and when you return. We understand Royal Mail want to link it to what you are paid in both pay and overtime.

They did a trial at Christmas of Agency staff at the Greenford Christmas Outhouse and believe it saved them hundreds of hours by only paying according to the data linked from when you enter and when you exit the building according to your actual duty and overtime times.

We have been informed this executive action is the first phase of an aggressive attack on the CWU.

We understand that they are also looking at moving all Delivery workers to a 0700 start time and removing improved attendance patterns.

Royal Mail have clearly decided to improve their communications and we now have almost daily updates in the way of videos.

Royal Mail are paying Facebook money and supplying employees data to ensue their message gets on employees timelines.

There message is designed to be soft and appealing. There say they are up for talks and are honouring National Agreements.

Royal Mail are trying to con you. How can there be important negotiations when they are introducing unagreed revisions and their strategy?

Royal Mail have decided that they can only introduce their business strategy if they weaken the unions influence.

Remember if this was to happen than they would introduce in the future all their plans by executive action.

The CWU will be balloting Nationally for strike action and will be supporting local industrial action ballots where Royal Mail take executive action.

The London Divisional Committee which represents all CWU members in the London Post Code Area are meeting on Friday to 24th January to discuss our next steps.

However we can assure you and Royal Mail that we will be conducting the biggest ever campaign for industrial action and if they take executive action on any London office than we will unite in London to oppose the executive action and we will not leave that office isolated.

All members need to answer the following question !

Are your jobs and terms safer with a strong union or weaker ?

If you accept that you are safer, now is the time to stand with the CWU and oppose Royal Mail’s strategy to introduce their strategy by executive action and weaken the CWU .

We will update you further when we get further information.

Unity really is strength !

A statement by the London Divisional Committee

Here is a link to the recording of our live session with Terry Pullinger DGSP. Please share as widely as possible

https://fbwat.ch/1yLBEi0vE3h2clJ7

South Central Division

Divisional Reps

Terry Jackson

Dermot Fuller

Sub Divisional Rep

Paul Garraway

DISPUTE UPDATE 22nd January 2020

Yesterday Dermot attended the national briefing for senior field officials at CWU HQ.

There will be a follow up conference call with senior field officials early next week.

Discussions were had exploring the inevitability of exploring enacting a reballot. To this end it is imperative that all Branches must ensure their membership records are robust and up to date.

It is important to provide our Representatives with some feedback:

In the New Year Terry Pullinger and Ray Ellis met with Royal Mail to seek to discuss a format for talks to resolve our ongoing dispute.

At this meeting RM said the company was in a difficult financial position and were under shareholder pressure to accelerate change.

Previously both parties had committed to a period of calm to allow meaningful discussions to take place, but now RM have said that they have honoured all existing agreements with the CWU and are now free to implement trials that are on hold or in dispute, and any initiatives where the I/R Framework is exhausted.

On trials they are keen to implement dedicated Parcel Deliveries (currently a unilateral modelling exercise in Swindon DO), Resource Scheduler and AHDC (effectively clocking in and out). On I/R issues, there are currently over 700 issues at joint national intervention, and their intention is to start introducing their position by Executive Action.

Within our Division we have been notified by the respective SDLs of RM’s intention to proceed with a “live” Parcel Trial in Swindon commencing next Monday and CSS proposals in Slough and Fareham. This is the thin end of the wedge. As and when we hear of further executive action we will notify the relevant Area Representatives. It may be prudent for the affected units to prepare themselves for requests for local ballots.

Despite having given managers a large pay rise and bonus, RM are refusing to review the 2019 CWU pay deal or talk about our 2020 pay deal.

The CWU pay deals should contain joint commitments from the 4 Pillars Agreement to a Shorter Working Week. RM are refusing to honour their side of the bargain on either the next hour off (which is already overdue), or the movement to a 35-hour week by 2022.

Joint commitments to address the appalling culture that exists in many RM workplaces are not on the employer’s agenda.

It is anticipated that RM at present can only break-even at best in this financial year, despite a great Christmas and the extra revenue from the General Election. In all likelihood it will become loss-making.

The same people who have got us in this position, now propose wasting more resources on their flawed plans for the pipeline and their proven failed technology initiatives.

The CWU are the only party looking for common-sense change that carries the whole of the organisation forward with a shared vision.

We will re-ballot to resist the RM inflammatory stance. We will use every ounce of our energy to get a massive YES vote to drag them back to the negotiating table.

There is no doubt that RM are adopting an aggressive stance. They are looking to marginalise your union. They may be even looking to break or de-recognise the CWU. WE will not let this happen.

Over the next couple of weeks there will of course be correspondence and LTBs that elaborate on the CWU position.

As a Division we aim to call a meeting to discuss our position and fully develop with Branches a shared strategy. This will be an opportunity to provide more in-depth information.We would ask all branches and representatives to assist us, and allow us to assist you, over what will undoubtably be one of the most challenging times in our great Union’s history.

Thanks

Dermot

Terry

Paul