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A third of men quit the gym after prostate cancer treatment – the initiative will support them back into good physical and mental health.
Leisure Trust becomes first group to roll out bins across every site.
Edinburgh Leisure has achieved the Gold BOG STANDARD accreditation by introducing dedicated male incontinence bins and product dispensers across its venues.
It is the first leisure trust in Scotland to roll out male sanitary bins and products across all its sites. Its commitment also means it provides more sanitary bins than any other organisation in the area, helping men affected by prostate cancer treatment and urinary incontinence.
Developed by phs and Prostate Cancer UK through the Dispose with Dignity initiative, the BOG STANDARD encourages organisations to provide appropriate facilities for men living with urinary incontinence.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer, and your risk doubles to one in four if you’re Black, but it can be curable if found early. As many as 60% of men who have a radical prostatectomy [surgical removal of the whole prostate and the prostate cancer cells inside it] may experience urinary incontinence . But suitable disposal facilities in public male toilets remain limited.
Almost a third of men (29%) said they stopped going to the gym because of their incontinence and lack of sanitary bins. Almost two thirds of men (59%) have said missing out on everyday moments like this has negatively affected their mental health.
Edinburgh Leisure welcomes more than 6 million customer visits each year across venues throughout the city. The new facilities will help ensure that men living with incontinence can use Edinburgh Leisure venues with greater confidence.
Edinburgh Leisure has installed 292 dedicated incontinence bins and 292 product dispensers across 26 venues, helping men dispose of incontinence products discreetly and hygienically. This means Edinburgh Leisure is providing more bins for its customers than any other organisation in the area.
By supporting men and implementing these measures, Edinburgh Leisure has signed up to The BOG STANDARD- the minimum standards Prostate Cancer UK and hygiene services provider phs Group is asking organisations to implement to cater for men with incontinence.
Gold BOG STANDARD accreditation recognises organisations that provide dedicated disposal bins and incontinence disposal bags and commit to raising awareness of prostate cancer and urinary incontinence.
[1] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2009.11.078.
[1] https://www.phs.co.uk/media/iw3caf2w/phs021-bog-standard-whitepaper-v7.pdf
Perrotine Orr, director of operations at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “Everyone should feel confident and welcome when using our venues. For men living with incontinence, access to the right facilities can make an important difference to whether they feel able to take part in everyday activities.
“By introducing dedicated disposal bags and bins, we hope more men will feel comfortable getting active or continuing to be active. We are proud to achieve Gold BOG STANDARD accreditation and to support greater awareness of prostate cancer and urinary incontinence.”
The BOG STANDARD Charter was developed by the Dispose with Dignity initiative, which aims to give men the confidence to go about their daily lives, free from the anxiety of having nowhere to change and dispose of their incontinence pads in public toilets. phs is the only hygiene provider that offers bins designed specifically for male incontinence products, which have been developed with Prostate Cancer UK supporters.
Matthew Brabin, CEO of phs said: “At a time when men need to be supported by businesses and workplaces, perhaps after receiving prostate cancer treatment, too many men are too anxious to leave the house, because the right facilities aren’t there for them. Whether it’s going to work, a conference, to their local sports club or even to the local for a pint, when there are no sanitary bins, men with incontinence are staying at home, when they should be with us. This is what our Dispose with Dignity initiative is trying to change, and we’re so pleased to see Edinburgh Leisure join the fight by signing up to The BOG STANDARD Charter.”
phs is the UK, Ireland and Spain’s leading hygiene services provider, and has been working with Prostate Cancer UK, the leading men’s health charity since 2023, to campaign for better facilities for men with incontinence as a part of their Dispose with Dignity initiative.
Prostate Cancer UK is the largest public funder of prostate cancer research in the UK, and has invested over £130 million into research that has made diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer safer and more accurate than ever before. The charity has also helped tens of thousands of men campaign for change, sharing their stories to influence policymakers, and advocating to fight health inequalities, raise lifesaving awareness, and improve access to treatments and support that improve men’s lives and create a brighter future for men living with and after the most common cancer in the UK; prostate cancer.
Nick Ridgman, head of support services at Prostate Cancer UK, said:
"Many men need sanitary bins so they can dispose of their used pads discreetly and hygienically - but often these bins are nowhere to be found in men's loos. It's causing men stress and shame and keeping them from going to work and doing the things they love.
"Edinburgh Leisure is now more welcoming and accessible for every customer and we hope other organisations will follow. We wholeheartedly support the Dispose with Dignity initiative and hope to see the UK Government supporting our call to change HSE guidance. This is the only way we can ensure men will have access to a male sanitary bin if they’re using toilets in public spaces.
"Prostate Cancer UK is here for every man who's navigating prostate cancer. If you need any support or information, you can talk to our Specialist Nurses on 0800 074 8383 or via our website."
For more information about The BOG STANDARD please visit phs.co.uk/maleincontinence
