As part of a push by Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance to increase cervical cancer testing, salon workers are being trained in how to discuss cervical cancer screening with their clients
The training, which outlines the symptoms and explains how the smear test works, opens a unique window into the potential of the beauty industry to improve both social and physical wellbeing, as well as the overall economic outlook in the UK.
Salon workers’ professional relationships with clients make them well-placed to encourage patients to take health-related action where necessary.
Over 30% of salons are located in the most deprived areas of the country. What’s more, NHS reports suggest that people living in these areas typically have worse illness outcomes than those living elsewhere.
As some of the only high-street businesses that rely almost exclusively on in-person services, hair and beauty salons are expertly placed to develop client relationships that go above and beyond. These relationships, as The British Beauty Council’s Mental Health and Wellbeing report notes, can have transformative effects upon patient outcomes.
Spa staff are particularly qualified: as part of their training, they spend up to 12 months studying anatomy, physiology and pathology. Moreover, in both Germany and the US, massage is increasingly being used as part of an integrative oncology (IO) approach to cancer treatment.
By improving mental and physical wellbeing, salons have the potential to boost the economy by increasing footfall on the British high-street, and alleviating wellbeing-related NHS costs.
The British Beauty Council’s Mental Health Report also notes that the introduction of touch-therapies could save the UK up to £10.5 billion, and reduce sick days by 1.76 million.
The NHS has itself recognised the importance of wellbeing services for illness recovery and life expectancy. By providing these services outside of a traditional primary care setting, salons provide both economic and social benefits.
All of this proves that the beauty industry is uniquely placed to improve living standards across the country
The British Beauty Council notes that, ‘anything we can do to capitalise on the positive relationships between beauty professionals and their clients and help encourage and increase uptake of medical check ups such as smear tests can only be a positive.’
You can read more about the Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance programme here, and to read The British Beauty Council’s Mental Health Report, you can click on this link.
