North East Health Improvement Staff are making sure local children are ready for sunny spring weather by providing sun awareness training for nursery staff in the north east of Glasgow. 

Skin cancer is on the rise, people should be sun aware from April to October.  Statistics from Cancer Research UK show that melanoma skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 4% of all new cancer cases in 2015.

Siobhan Harkin, North East Health Improvement Team worked with colleagues Farhat Khan, South Health Improvement Team and Julie Murphy, North West Health Improvement Team to develop the training for staff with advice from the MacMillan specialist skin cancer nurse.  

Siobhan said : “Skin cancer is on the rise, people should be sun aware from April to October.   This means seeking shade, wearing a hat, and covering up, wear suncream with UVA and UVB protection with four or more stars on the bottle and a minimum of SPF factor 15.  There is no difference in the protection provided by lower and higher priced suncreams so long as they adhere to the 4 stars or above and minimum SPF of 15.

“Even in Scotland the above should be followed from April to October.  People of all skin colours and types should wear suncream when it is sunny.”

For more information go to http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/skin-cancer