LTB 1038/09 - CWU's Allan Morgan Wins Wales TUC Safety Representative of the Year Award 2009

To:  All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
 

CWU's Allan Morgan Wins Wales TUC Safety Representative of the Year Award 2009   
 

Allan Morgan Union Safety Representative from the CWU South Wales Branch has been named as winner of the Wales TUC Health and Safety Representative of the year Award for 2009.
 

The Wales TUC Safety Representatives annual Award recognises the contribution made by Safety Representatives in promoting health & safety in the workplace and is presented to a Health and Safety Rep who in the view of the Wales TUC has made an exceptional contribution in the role and has demonstrated commitment to working to improve workplace health and safety.
 

Allan was presented with his award at the Wales TUC Safety Representatives Conference in Cardiff on 20 November by Julie Cook Wales TUC Head of Education and Martin Mansfield Wales TUC General Secretary.
 

This of course is fantastic news for the Union with Allan adding to the growing list of Health and Safety Awards won by the CWU and its Health and Safety Reps over this last successful year. The CWU has become the first Trade Union to win the full set of UK Trade Union Safety Representative of the Year Awards.
 

The last 12 months has been a great period in the CWU's history for recognising the Union's work and achievements in the field of Health and Safety. The Union has now won the TUC Safety Rep Award for the 3rd time with Chris Wesson (Birmingham Branch), the Northern Ireland ICTU Safety Rep Award with Sean Doherty (Northern Ireland West Branch), the Scottish TUC Safety Rep Award with Graeme Russell (Edinburgh & Dundee Borders Branch) and now The Wales TUC Safety Rep Award with Allan Morgan (South Wales Branch).
 

The CWU also became the first trade union to win a prestigious Safety & Health Practitioner/Institute Of Occupational Safety & Heath (IOSH) Health and Safety partnership project award along with BT and the CWU along with Royal Mail won the RoSPA 'Workforce Involvement in Safety and Health Trophy, for demonstrating the best Union Safety Representatives involvement in health and safety management, demonstrating effective inspections, investigations and representing members’ concerns.
 

The CWU is certainly the first Trade Union to achieve all these awards in one year demonstrating the strength of our Safety Organisation within the CWU and commitment of our Safety Reps.
 

I am delighted that the dedication and commitment of CWU health and safety representatives has been recognised and applauded by the Trade Union Congresses across the UK. These awards recognise the important role that Safety Representatives can and do play in contributing to ensuring higher standards of health and safety in many workplaces. Health and safety representatives are dedicated and committed trade union activists who strive to make workplaces safe for all workers. The opportunity to salute all health and CWU safety representatives through these awards is welcome and deserves to be celebrated. Workplace health and safety management requires a combination of strong commitment by management and active Safety Rep engagement.
 
 

Allan along with Chris, Sean and Graeme are some of many excellent CWU examples of how important our people value health and safety in the workplace. The presence of union safety reps prevents thousands of major injuries at work every year and there's an army of them out there doing a great job for our Union.
 

Opinion polls indicate that health and safety is considered one of the key areas people at work regard as a legitimate topic for trade union action.
 

Safety Reps are the best and sometimes the only defence workers have, making sure that health and safety risks are managed properly by employers. We know Union Safety Reps cut the rate of serious injury at work by more than 50 per cent, and over the years they've saved many lives and prevented many injuries by diligence, hard work and commitment. The fantastic work done by CWU Safety Reps in all of our branches up and down the country is helping to improve the lives of our members every year. The time, effort and work these people put in to help their colleagues often belies the time and resources they have available. I am delighted that the TUC, ICTU, STUC and WTUC have recognised our nominees as the best and I am sure the whole Union will join me in recognising the fine work of our Safety Reps collectively and the these achievements individually. They are deserved winners.
 

Yours Sincerely
 

LTB 971/09 - Diabetes - Fact Sheet

To:  All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
Diabetes - Fact Sheet 
 

Having previously campaigned on these important health subjects, the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has launched two fresh joint awareness campaigns with POFAS (Post Office First Aid Association), the Stroke Association, Diabetes UK and Royal Mail's Head of Health, utilising the 7,200 First Aiders in Royal Mail Group. Both charities were present at the recent POFAS National First Aid Championship Finals with Exhibition Stands, representatives and lots of information which was distributed. These information sheets are being issued and will hopefully be lowed by articles in Voice, Courier, POFAS publications etc as the campaigns progress. Area Health and Safety Representatives are asked to do what they can to distribute information and raise awareness. 
 

New cases of diabetes in Britain have soared by 74 per cent between 1997 and 2003, according to the most recent statistics, suggesting that poor diet and rising levels of obesity are behind the increase in the hormonal illness, which almost doubles the risk of premature death.
Latest figures suggest that the number of people in Britain developing obesity-related diabetes is rising at a faster rate than in America, where the disease has become one of the biggest killers.
 

The recent findings support figures published last year suggesting that the number of people newly diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled from 83,000 in 2006 to 167,000 in 2008.
 

There are 2.5 million people in Britain suffering from the type-2 version of the disease, which is related to sedentary lifestyles and the explosive growth in obesity.

Type-2 disease, or late-onset diabetes is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 40, although there are increasing reports of it being diagnosed in younger patients. It is mainly caused by a growing insensitivity to insulin, and is linked to obesity.
 

Type-1 disease is commonly diagnosed in childhood, and is caused by the loss of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that controls levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
Britain has one of the fastest-growing diabetes epidemics in the world. 
 

In 1996, 38 per cent of people newly diagnosed with type-2 diabetes were overweight, and 46 per cent were obese. In 2005, the corresponding figures were 32 per cent and 56 per cent respectively.
 

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of the charity Diabetes UK, said: “The latest research is a sad indictment of the state of the UK’s health. Sadly, the statistics are not surprising as we know that the soaring rates of type-2 diabetes are strongly linked to the country’s expanding waistline. Research shows that losing weight can reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 58 per cent. It is imperative that we raise awareness of the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet and doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day if we want to make any headway in defusing the diabetes time-bomb. People who are overweight, under active or over the age of 45 should consider themselves at risk for developing diabetes. "
 

CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer Dave Joyce said "Diabetes is a public health crisis and we're supporting Diabetes UK to raise awareness and promote the importance of early diagnosis and healthy living with diabetes. The CWU has also been working with BT and Royal Mail on joint awareness campaigns. It is imperative that we do what we can to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. Diabetes becomes much worse when the disease is not properly treated and it can lead to serious complications, increasing the risk of fatal heart attack or stroke and other serious medical conditions before retirement age. In many cases, diabetes is not diagnosed in patients until complications develop. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed, the greater the potential of effectively avoiding cardiovascular disease. There are currently over 2.3 million people with diabetes in the UK and there are more than half a million people with diabetes who have the condition and don’t know it. This further underlines the desirability of early detection which can be easily accomplished through a simple blood test."
 

Long-term complications of diabetes include foot and leg ulcers, stroke, blindness, kidney problems, heart disease and damage to the peripheral blood vessels. The disease is treated by changes to lifestyle, medication to lower sugar levels in the blood, or by insulin injections in extreme cases. The NHS spends around £10 million a day on treating diabetes and its effects, around 5% of its total budget. This is predicted to rise to 10% by 2011.
 

'Measure Up"
If you are white and over 40 years old, or if you’re black, Asian or from a minority ethnic group and over 25 years old and have one or more of the following risk factors, you should ask your GP for a test for diabetes:
 

The family
Having diabetes in the family puts you at risk. The closer the relative is, the greater the risk. So if your mum or dad has diabetes, rather than your aunt or uncle, it’s more likely you will develop the condition too.
 

Ethnicity
African-Caribbean or South Asian people who live in the UK are at least five times more likely to have diabetes than the white population.
 

Your weight
Not all people with diabetes are over weight but the stats show that over 80 per cent of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. The more overweight and the more inactive you are the greater your risk. If you don’t know whether you’re overweight, ask your GP to measure your BMI or take the Diabetes UK's 2 minute test at: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/measure-up/
 

Your waist
Women – if your waist measures 31.5in (80cm) or more you’ve got an increased risk. Men – if you’re white or black and your waist is 37in (94cm) or more you have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. If you’re an Asian man the figure is 35in (90cm) or more.
To measure your waist, the measurement needs to be taken at the mid-point between the top of the hip bone and the lowest rib. Ensure the tape is snug, but does not compress the skin and is parallel to the floor. The measurement should be taken when the person being measured has breathed out.
Other factors
 

Other conditions such as raised triglycerides (a type of blood fat) and severe mental health problems can also increase your risk.
 

The more risk factors that apply to you, the greater your risk of having diabetes.
Take the 2 minute On-Line Diabetes Test
Take Diabetes UK's 2 minute On-Line Diabetes Test at the following Link: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/measure-up/]
 

"Silent Assassin "campaign
Last October Diabetes UK launched 'Silent Assassin', a hard-hitting UK-wide campaign highlighting that diabetes is a serious condition that causes heart disease, stroke, amputations, kidney failure and blindness. The advertising campaign included a series of outdoor posters as well as newspaper and consumer magazine advertising.
 

Diabetes Week 2009
Diabetes Week is in June each year and is the annual focal point of Diabetes UK's awareness and campaigning activities to help make people realise that diabetes is a serious condition and to raise funds to help find a cure. In Diabetes UK's 75th anniversary year, the theme of Diabetes Week 2009 is "Improving lives" with events and activities taking place across the UK throughout the week. [More information from Diabetes UK: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/]
World Diabetes Day
World Diabetes Day is on 14 November every year. [More information from Diabetes UK: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/]
 

Yours Sincerely
 

LTB 972/09 - Stroke - Fact Sheet

To:  All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
  
Stroke - Fact Sheet
 

Having previously campaigned on these important health subjects, the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has launched two fresh joint awareness campaigns with POFAS (Post Office First Aid Association), the Stroke Association, Diabetes UK and Royal Mail's Head of Health, utilising the 7,200 First Aiders in Royal Mail Group. Both charities were present at the recent POFAS National First Aid Championship Finals with Exhibition Stands, representatives and lots of information which was distributed. These information sheets are being issued and will hopefully be lowed by articles in Voice, Courier, POFAS publications etc as the campaigns progress. Area Health and Safety Representatives are asked to do what they can to distribute information and raise awareness. 
 

Stroke is the third biggest killer in the UK and the single largest cause of adult disability. But public awareness and recognition of the main signs of stroke are very low and, in response, a new National Stroke Strategy sets out the need to improve awareness of stroke. Around 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke every year and more than 67,000 die from it according to the Stroke Association who attended CWU Conference in 2007 and have worked closely with the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department, campaigning to raise awareness over the last two years.
 

Patients who have their stroke confirmed and are given clot-busting drugs and have higher chances of survival.
Acting quickly on important warning signs, like "minor strokes" - saves lives and reduces long-term disability.
 

Thousands of lives could be saved if patients were admitted straight to hospital and received medication.
Delays are due to patients not recognising or shrugging off stroke symptoms, or calling their GP rather than dialing 999.
 

Only around one in ten patients are getting the drugs within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, as set down in NHS guidelines.
 

For every minute of delay you can lose about 1,000 miles of nerve fibres in the brain. Stroke, a loss of brain function due to a clot or bleed in the brain, is the third leading cause of death and the single largest cause of adult disability in England.

Stroke accounts for nine per cent of deaths in men and 13 per cent of deaths in women in the UK, and three times as many women die from stroke than breast cancer.

Improving public awareness of the signs of stroke is therefore a key element of the government's new National Stroke Strategy.

The CWU Health, Safety and Environment supported the Stroke Association in lobbying for the Government to adopt the "FAST" campaign which succeeded when CWU former General Secretary and now Government Health Secretary Alan Johnson MP recently launched a major three-year campaign aimed at increasing awareness. The Campaign involves adverts, on TV, radio, online and in the press, showing stroke "spreading like fire in the brain" to illustrate that swift emergency action can limit damage and dramatically increase a person's chances of surviving and of avoiding long-term  disability, informing the public about FAST – Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999. FAST is a simple test to help people to recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of fast emergency treatment.
 

Health Secretary Alan Johnson MP says that "despite a big improvement in services, stroke still kills over 67,000 people in the UK each year and leaves thousands more disabled. In many cases, death or disability from stroke can be avoided but recognition of these early warning signs is crucial. As well as saving lives, the cost saving to the NHS as a result of this campaign will be significant. Direct stroke care costs the NHS £2.8 billion a year, and the wider economy a further £1.8 billion in income and productivity losses as a result of disability. The informal care cost is £2.4 billion."
 

CWU National Health, Safety and Environment Officer Dave Joyce said "We want to help promote awareness amongst our members of the "FAST" test - Face, Arm, Speech, Time - to gauge symptoms, including facial weakness, inability to raise both arms and whether somebody can speak or understand what is being said to them.  I hope the campaign will help make sure that people having a stroke and those around them can recognise the signs and appreciate the need for fast emergency treatment. The faster a stroke patient receives emergency treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and minimising long-term disability. The Department of Health's stroke awareness campaign will boost public understanding of stroke, its symptoms and treating it as a medical emergency which will I hope significantly improve the chances of recovery for the people who have a stroke every year in the UK, reducing avoidable deaths and we want to support the campaign as much as we can."
10 things you should know about Stroke
 
1. Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke.

2. A stroke is a brain attack. A stroke happens due to a clot or bleed in the brain, which causes brain cells to die.

3. The signs of a stroke are sudden:
• Facial weakness or numbness
• Arm or leg weakness or numbness - especially on one side of the body.
• Speech problems or confusion,
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
These signs may only last a few hours and are called a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) or mini-stroke and must not be ignored.

4. A stroke is an emergency.  If you see the signs of a stroke act FAST and call 999. Urgent medical attention is needed.
5. Early treatment saves lives and increases the chance of making a better recovery.

6. Stroke is the third biggest killer and the leading cause of severe disability in the UK.

7. Almost one in four men and one in five women aged 45 can expect to have a stroke if they live to 85.
8. More than three times as many women die from stroke than breast cancer in the UK.

9. Eating healthily, taking more exercise, not smoking and ensuring blood pressure is normal, can all help to prevent stroke.

10. A (TIA) or mini-stroke has identical symptoms to stroke, which last for less than 24 hours and are followed by a full recovery. A (TIA) or 'mini-stroke'  is a powerful warning that an area of the brain is being deprived of blood, and a stroke may follow in the next few hours, days, weeks or months.
 

 
Yours Sincerely
 

LTB 987/09 - Warning on muscle, joint and back pain

 To:  All Branches
  

Dear Colleagues