CASE STUDY
Meaningful advances for the Police Association of New South Wales
Company Overview
Total number of members
16,773
An annualised estimate of their people impacted by cancer
946
Industry
Union
Geographies
New South Wales
Member demographic
28% female / 72% male
50% of membership under the age of 40.
Osara products
Cancer Coach Program and Cancer Caregiver Program
Who is PANSW
The Police Association of New South Wales (PANSW) is the industrial association representing over 99 percent of the sworn Police officers in the State of New South Wales, Australia. Membership of the association is also open to former officers who have retired or been discharged from the police force as medically unfit.
PANSW stands as a vital association, committed to representing the best interests of the serving police officers, those dedicated to ensuring public safety and upholding the law. As the registered trade union organisation, PANSW boasts a rich history and a significant presence in the community.
The leadership of PANSW holds a profound commitment to the welfare of their members, understanding that it directly correlates to their mission of advocating for the dedicated police workforce. By prioritising ongoing training, implementing supportive programs, and placing significant emphasis on member care, PANSW cultivates a culture characterised by professionalism, teamwork, and unwavering integrity among its members.
Their needs
PANSW recognised the pressing need for additional support in the face of members impacted by a cancer diagnosis. The organisation realised that attracting and retaining new members would heavily depend on its ability to provide comprehensive assistance during such difficult times. Furthermore, the inherently high-risk operating environment associated with police work emphasised the significance of establishing a dependable support system, ensuring members’ peace of mind in difficult situations. The statistics further highlighted the urgency of the situation, as a growing and ageing workforce meant an increasing number of members were likely to be impacted by cancer.
Understanding that livelihoods were a crucial consideration within the culture of the NSW police force, PANSW recognised the necessity of facilitating a faster return to work after cancer treatment and providing support for caregiver duties. By addressing these challenges, PANSW aimed to ensure its members could resume their duties or remain in work, ultimately prioritising the well-being of its workforce.
The challenge
The challenge at hand was to create a comprehensive support and well-being program for PANSW members and their families when impacted by a cancer diagnosis. It was crucial to develop an offering that not only addressed the immediate needs of the members but also fostered loyalty and recognition towards PANSW, aligning with the organisation’s overall goals.
An internal culture within the NSW police workforce fostered a division between personal situations and the work environment, raising uncertainties about whether a support program could effectively overcome this barrier and ensure the utilisation of programs designed to promote personal well-being.
“Osara Health has provided me with the opportunity to uphold my mantra of looking after the welfare of our members. The association has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with individuals telling us it’s the best support offering they’ve been given and it makes them proud to be a PANSW member.
Statistically, we are all likely to be touched by cancer during our working life, whether it’s ourselves, our family or our colleagues. It’s important for many of us to keep going, to keep our livelihoods, to keep connected and to feel in control.
Services like Osara allow us to be that pillar of support during the most difficult times in our members’ lives.”
Kevin Morton, PANSW President
Solution
The Osara Health Cancer Coach and Cancer Caregiver programs were rolled out to members and their immediate families in 2022.
Onboarding with Osara Health –
- Ahead of the partnership launch, Osara facilitated many Branch Welfare Officer training sessions and presented to the Association’s Executive Board. These presentations ensured key stakeholders were aware of the programs and the role the programs play in the Association’s member-benefit suite.
- Osara provided the Association with a marketing toolkit with program flyers, messaging and scripts on how best to support and offer advice to members impacted by cancer.
- A co-branded enrolment platform was developed – which houses all information about the partnership, programs available, personalised FAQs and enrolment details.
- To launch the partnership, Osara Health presented to over 100 members at the Association’s Women Forum and a digital communication strategy was executed through an Association-wide newsletter and email campaign.
Members and their family members receive access to a dedicated health course, digital resources and specialised app throughout the program, all personalised and tailored to their needs during their cancer journey to help them achieve better outcomes.
The platform provided valuable support in terms of cancer education, treatment management, symptom tracking, and emotional well-being. Osara’s ability to enable seamless communication and collaboration between patients, caregivers, and enabling an effective return to work when the time is right, made it an essential tool for PANSW, ensuring improved cancer care outcomes and empowering their members and family members to navigate their cancer experience with confidence.
Monthly check in reporting discussed utilisation of the programs and de-identified results from participants.
Our results with PANSW speak for themselves in terms of health and retention outcomes achieved.
Data-informed Osara insights
89
%
of participants were very satisfied with the support they received from Osara.
55
%
of participants felt more confident and empowered with Osara than they had previously.
91
%
reported feeling more supported by having access to Osara.
86
%
of participants reported feeling more in control of their health.
81
%
of caregivers said they felt more confident in their caregiving abilities.
75
%
of respondents felt more supported by PANSW by having access to Osara.
Find out more
We’re changing what it’s like to be impacted by cancer. Get in touch to find out what we can do for our employees.