Proactive Prostate Cancer Testing Initiative Launched by Somerset Council and Kier

Proactive Prostate Cancer Testing Initiative Launched by Somerset Council and Kier

Somerset Council’s highways contractor Keir has offered Somerset highways staff free prostate cancer tests.

March is prostate cancer awareness month and thanks to this recent initiative, over 100 prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests have been conducted at various highways depots and at County Hall in Taunton.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death among men in the UK, with most men experiencing no symptoms. Undertaking a PSA test provides significant reassurance to the team.

Given the predominantly male workforce within the highways sector, Kier has adopted a proactive approach by offering the simple finger prick blood test to all employees.

Self-test PSA kits were supplied and distributed by Kier’s Health and Safety Manager as part of Kier’s commitment to help the workforce stay healthy. The test involved using a self-test lancet device to draw blood from the finger, which is then applied to the indication test strip to produce a result.

Lead member and portfolio holder for Transport and Waste Service, Councillor Richard Wilkins said, “We are very grateful to Kier for providing our staff members with this free. It is a great opportunity to provide reassurance to our staff and show our appreciation.”

Allan Rigby, General Manager of Kier, stated, “Prostate cancer is a significant health issue among men, and we believe it is important to emphasise early detection. We appreciate Somerset Council for enabling us to extend this opportunity to the Somerset teams.”

ENDS