All Healthcare and wellbeing articles – Page 264
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Article
CIPD/Simplyhealth research: Fit notes prompt employers to discuss sickness absence
The introduction of the fit note has prompted employers to hold conversations with their staff around sickness absence and the best ways to get an individual back to work in the case of long-term illness.The Absence management survey, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth, ...
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Article
Aviva partners Emirates Insurance Company for expatriate PMI offer
Aviva UK Health has set up an arrangement with Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Insurance Company to provide expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with compliant private medical insurance (PMI) products.The partnership means that employers with staff based in the UAE will now be offered one of four bespoke international PMI ...
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Article
Simplyhealth research: Tax breaks on PMI provision will ease burden on NHS
Over half (55%) of senior managers with HR responsibilities believe organisations should be given tax breaks to provide all staff with private medical insurance (PMI) and ease the burden on the NHS, according to research by Simplyhealth.The research findings follow Dame Carol Black and David Frost’s review into sickness absence, ...
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Article
Eurotunnel introduces cash plan for staff
Eurotunnel has introduced a health cash plan for its 791 employees at its UK terminal.†The cash plan, provided by Health Shield, offers a number of benefits including: dental; dental accident; eyecare; alternative therapies; chiropody; health screening and a 24-hour helpline. The scheme, called Essentials, costs the organisation 75p per week ...
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Analysis
Sickness absence: Fit notes not best medicine
If you read nothing else, read this … Fit notes are seen as a positive step, but HR professionals are finding they add little to managing sickness absence. More GP training on occupational health is needed to make fit notes a more useful sickness absence management tool. Government-funded mediators could ...
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Analysis
Health cash plans add value
If you read nothing else, read this…Cash plan providers allow employers to tailor their plans according to the healthcare needs of their workforce.Some providers merge optical and dental benefits, allowing employees access to spend more of the cash back on the service they use most.Sharing a cash plan with a ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Towry takes PMI out of flexible benefits
In April, financial services firm Towry removed private medical insurance (PMI) and travel insurance from its flexible benefits scheme after rising premiums, which were paid for by staff using their flex allowance, made it no longer viable.†Richard Higginson, head of reward at Towry, says the benefit, which was taken up ...
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Article
EXCLUSIVE: Lookers drives savings after consolidating private medical insurance schemes
Car dealership Lookers has saved £30,000 on premiums after consolidating 14 private medical insurance (PMI) schemes across its business.The firm had accumulated the schemes through acquisitions. It decided to replace them with one large claims-related scheme and retain one existing plan, which has an older demographic and a high number ...
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Analysis
Health and wellbeing: Best remedy for sickness
If you read nothing else, read this … Third-party absence management systems involve staff reporting absence to a trained nurse or healthcare professional. Data is then fed to the employee’s manager. Opinion is split over whether technology-based reporting platforms are superseding third-party absence management systems. Third-party systems can manually record ...
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Case Studies
Case study: East Sussex County Council rates third-party sickness scheme
East Sussex County Council used a third-party absence management system as part of a wider strategy to reduce its sickness absence rates, from 9.5 days in 2005 to 6.9 days in 2010.The system, provided by FirstCare, was introduced with the specific aim of tackling short-term absence.Leatham Green, assistant director, personnel ...
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Article
Chris Evans: Should employers provide healthcare perks for older workers?
Despite the fact that age discrimination legislation allows employers to restrict access to certain insured benefits beyond state pension age, many organisations are now starting to realise it is beneficial for long-term business strategies to respond to the challenges of an ageing workforce. Exemptions do not apply to certain health ...
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Opinion
Chris Coyne: Should employers provide healthcare perks for older workers?
A quick look at the facts is interesting. In 1995 there were nine million people in the UK aged over 60; in 2030, just 19 years away, it is estimated there will be 13 million. And the trend continues for women to have children later in life. The abolition of ...
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Article
EXCLUSIVE: Which? increases pension scheme and PMI take-up
Comparison website Which? has increased the take-up of its pension and private medical insurance (PMI) schemes after adding personalised information to its total reward statements (TRS).Take-up levels for the pension scheme are now 82%, while take-up for the PMI scheme is at 56%.Since launching TRS in 2010 with provider Enrich ...
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Article
UK Healthcare to launch cash plan at Employee Benefits Live
UK Healthcare will be introducing a corporate health cash plan at Employee Benefits Live, which will be held on 27 and 28 September at the Business Design Centre in London.The plan has been developed for organisations with over 50 employees, and starts at £1 per employee per week.UK Healthcare is ...
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Article
Buyer's guide to private medical insurance
FOCUS ON FACTSWhat is private medical insurance? A group PMI policy enables employees to access private medical treatment quickly and at a time that is convenient to them. Policy benefits vary greatly, but plans will usually cover consultations, diagnostic tests and treatment, whether as an inpatient or an outpatient. They ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Wrigley staff chew flexible benefits over
Chewing gum maker Wrigley ensures its flexible benefits scheme offers something for all staff. An impressive 85% of the firm’s 500 staff take up the scheme.Al Riley, senior rewards adviser, says: “We are diverse in terms of age and gender. The [mobile sales teams] tend to be recruited at a ...
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Case Studies
Case study: Communication is key for Raytheon
Defence contractor Raytheon UK hopes to win over its diverse workforce with a communications offensive. The organisation, which has 1,300 employees, sends updates by email, plasma screen, newsletters, briefings and its intranet.Gary Litster, pensions and benefits manager, says: “Because of our diverse work environments, we communicatebenefits information regularly through a ...
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Article
Perfect Health Insurance launches health cash plan for small employers
Perfect Health Insurance has launched a health cash plan aimed at small employers.The plan offers standard cover for dentistry, optical and hospital stays, but also includes new benefits such as cover for hospital car parking of up to £45 per day for friends and family visiting patients in hospital, and ...
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Article
Now Health International introduces online facility for PMI quotes
Now Health International has introduced an online facility to enable employers to get an immediate quote for group international private medical insurance (PMI).It is aimed at small to medium-sized enterprises or those that want cover for up to 50 staff. It enables an employerto get a quote within minutes based ...
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Article
MNPA increases flexible benefits take up
MNPA has increased take up of its flexible benefits scheme to 95% after adding in a group personal pension (GPP) plan, switching private medical insurance (PMI) providers, and putting all perks onto an online benefits portal.The pensions firm launched the GPP following the closure of its defined benefit (DB) career ...