Male incontinence initiative celebrates success this Men’s Health Week.
The Dispose With Dignity initiative, co-led by Prostate Cancer UK and Caerphilly based phs Group celebrates a new milestone as 7,000 bins are installed ahead of Men’s Health Week
phs, a supplier under the Welsh Government Commercial Delivery (WGCD) Cleaning and Washroom Services Framework is leading on a men’s health initiative to support men, male mental health and contribute towards a more sustainable and equal Wales.
phs Group puts purpose at the heart of its products and services, and its initiative with Prostate Cancer UK aims to raise awareness about the male incontinence, the lack of access to sanitary bins in male washrooms, and the effect on men’s physical, social and mental health.
Male urinary incontinence is a common side-effect of life-saving prostate cancer treatment. One in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, rising to 1 in 4 Black men. Of these who are treated for prostate cancer, 60% will experience incontinence at some stage. Despite this, rarely are men supported with the facilities they need in public washrooms in the same way women are able to access female sanitary bins for menstrual products.
The Dispose With Dignity campaign was launched in February 2023, and since then it has installed more than 7,000 male incontinence bins UK-wide. This means fewer men need to be anxious leaving the house, for fear of not being able to dispose of their products discreetly, behind the cubicle door.
Raymond Starr, 67, is a retired public servant from Conwy in north Wales. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017, and had his prostate removed, which has left him with incontinence issues. He said:
“Incontinence can build anxiety and can cause depression. People get embarrassed, so they become isolated and start thinking that they can’t go out and deal with the wet pad and the struggle to dispose of it, so they stay in. We just need a proper bin.
“I don’t know what I can say to get thousands of institutions on board, but a small cost to a business would be so advantageous to a group of people that are really in despair when they experience incontinence.”
John Coyne, WGCD Director Commercial and Procurement says:
We are really pleased to be able to offer male incontinence services through our Cleaning Materials and Washroom Services Framework for the first time. Providing these services is critical to ensuring the needs of people with male incontinence are met in a practical and more sustainable way.
For further information please visit the phs website, or contact phs Group by emailing keyaccountspublicsector@phs.co.uk.
For more details about the Cleaning Materials and Washroom Services Framework visit Sell2Wales (you will be required to login): Buyer Contract Register - View Contract Details - Sell2Wales