A privilege to be involved in a successful NHS men’s health awareness campaign

From time to time, the work we carry out for our clients bring a warm glow as we have the chance to go a little bit above and beyond…

This is very true of our ongoing work with social enterprises such as Amplify Goods and No Going Back | Clean, but if you’d asked us two years ago if our work with urinal screen innovators P-Wave would create a sense of pride and fulfilment then we might not have been too sure.

At the end of 2023, P-Wave – a brand of Robert Scott since September 2024 – was chosen by NHS England to deliver an awareness campaign to encourage men to consult their GPs if they saw blood in their urine, with a special message on its Slant6 urinal screens, literally putting the call to action directly in front of the target audience.

Almost immediately, the “Blood in your pee? Contact your GP practice” message featured on urinal mats in thousands of men’s toilets across the country.

By June of this year – with the help of P-Wave’s amazing distributor network, the company had placed over one million of the NHS England branded urinal mats in men’s washrooms across the country, from pubs, offices and restaurants, to shopping malls and stadiums.

Early diagnosis saves lives

Diagnosing cancer early means it is easier to treat and can save lives, which is why NHS England chose to collaborate with P-Wave, urging men to be aware of changes in their bodies and to contact their GP practice if they notice symptoms that could be a sign of cancer. 

P-Wave Brand Manager Mark Wintle at Robert Scott, said: “We are proud to have played such an important role in encouraging men to consult their GPs if they see blood in their urine, with our specially branded Slant6 urinal and trough screens.

“According to the Office for National Statistics there are over 25 million men in England and we estimate that at least a quarter use a urinal once a day, so our 30 day urinal screens are taking this essential health message to many millions of men every day.”

Over the past 18 months, the campaign has gained huge momentum as many large businesses have come on board to support this important and potentially life-saving initiative. We are thrilled that this ever-growing group of partners includes Sodexo, phs Group, Balfour Beatty, Mitchells & Butlers, and even Manchester United football club. The more men see the message, the more effective the campaign becomes.”

“It is time to put an increasing focus on the washroom as a centre for wellbeing and men’s health,” says Mark Wintle, “and there have already been many success stories as result of this unique NHS partnership initiative.”

Cancer survivor Berry Mulder credits the NHS England message seen on a P-Wave urinal mat in a Marks and Spencer store in Bristol with helping to save his life. After reading the prompt, he sought medical advice and was later diagnosed and successfully treated for testicular cancer. Now more than six months cancer-free, Berry reached out to the P-Wave team to express his gratitude, saying: “Dear P-Wave, I’d like to thank you and the NHS from the bottom of my heart – because you probably saved my life”. https://vimeo.com/1089667600

Proud to have played a part in making a positive difference

All of us at SHC are proud to have played a part in the campaign’s success – as we can be sure that the press releases we issued will have helped draw facilities managers attention to the opportunity to support this important men’s health initiative. The campaign is ongoing, so expect even more good news in due course.