Recent NHS statistics reveal a concerning underestimation of critical cancer symptoms among men. Alarmingly, 46% of surveyed men failed to recognise blood in urine as a potential cancer indicator, and 39% admitted they would wait to see this symptom multiple times before consulting a doctor. This can delay the detection of urological cancers such as prostate, bladder and kidney cancers, which rank among the top ten most common cancers for men.
Recognising the need for increased awareness, NHS England has partnered with urinal products and air freshener brand P-Wave as part of a critical public health programme. As early detection is crucial as it considerably enhances treatment success rates, P-Wave has integrated the message ‘Blood in your pee? Contact your GP practice’ on its urinal screens.
NHS research shows that just over half of men in England use a public urinal at least once a week, while 71% said they would be more likely to contact their GP if prompted by a urinal mat after noticing blood in their pee. Additionally, 64% would view a workplace or venue more favourably if it displayed health-promoting messages in washrooms.
Vital signs
Explaining the significance of early detection and the importance of the P-Wave initiative, Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England National Clinical Director for Cancer, says: “Having blood in your pee – even just once – shouldn’t be ignored because it could be a sign of cancer. Catching cancer early gives people a much better chance of successful treatment; this is why we have a huge focus on finding new ways to reach people in their communities.”
Although the first products containing the message were only available from December 2023, NHS chiefs have already highlighted the pivotal role of P-Wave’s urinal screens in helping boost cancer referral rates, contributing to a record three million health checks in a year (March 2023-Feb 2024).
Found in places such as pubs, workplaces, hotels and restaurants, the simple messaging on the Slant6 urinal screens aims to make every visit to a washroom a direct alert that encourages immediate action. P-Wave has also rebranded its popular Trough urinal screens used in high-traffic areas such as sports stadiums and other large venues to deliver the message to as many men as possible.
A fresh approach
Says P-Wave Managing Director Dave Carson: “For P-Wave to be involved in this initiative was a no-brainer. The partnership with NHS England is unique and extraordinary, and it’s working – by June, we expect to have placed around 400,000 of these urinal screens in thousands of venues.
“For dealers, it’s a way to get behind a programme which is literally life-saving as well as help their customers with environmental and social goals and demonstrate they care about employee and visitor wellness. It’s taken washrooms to another level making them not only clean and hygienic, but also by making them a centre for men’s health.”
To boost the messaging, dealers can access a toolkit – assets include posters, videos, web banners, images and tech sheets – which can be downloaded from the P-Wave website.
The Slant6 screens are available in six fragrances that last for a minimum of 30 days and also feature an angled bristle design for virtually ‘zero splash’, lower VOCs and double-sided installation. They are compatible with all urinals. The Trough versions are available in two fragrances and help reduce blockages by preventing debris from going down the drain.
Green and clean
On the sustainability front, P-Wave leads by example, having developed the only market-available urinal screens that are both recyclable and biodegradable. Independent tests have demonstrated that nearly 70% of these screens decompose if sent to landfill, with a goal of complete degradation within ten years.
However, as P-Wave Sales and Marketing Manager Mark Wintle explains, the aim is for the urinal screens to be recycled: “The screens are 100% recyclable, but when they’ve been used for a month, it doesn’t always happen. Say 60% get recycled, then 40% go to landfill; we need to ensure there is a safety net. We use EcoPure, an organic plastic additive that significantly speeds up biodegradation, ensuring they break down more quickly.”
P-Wave has also developed a comprehensive range of air freshening systems for washrooms that work in harmony with the urinal screens and are perfect for placing in other strategic workplace environments.
The product line includes passive air fresheners such as the traditional toilet Bowl Clip, stick-on Curve and standalone or dispenser-based Eco Air, as well as active systems such as the Easy Fresh (wall or ceiling-mounted), the plug-in OurFresh-e and the Bluetooth-enabled Scentaura BT diffuser.
Meanwhile, the newly upgraded 2.0 version of the MyFresh air freshener features a sleek dispenser design and is a motion-activated, battery-operated product ideal for small spaces such as desks, elevators and personal areas.
