Can employers do more to fill the gaps in healthcare provision?

Increased demand, years of underinvestment and the after-effects of the pandemic have left the NHS creaking. To help keep workforces healthy and productive, employers are stepping in to fill the gaps in healthcare provision.

The statistics highlight the access issues. Although NHS waiting lists are falling, there was still a backlog of 7.46 million cases when the latest figures were released in February 2025.

Healthcare gaps

The biggest gaps are for life debilitating conditions that can often affect working age people, says Ed Watling, head of health and wellbeing at Mattioli Woods. “If someone has a musculoskeletal or mental health issue, they can wait for months to see anyone,” he says. “Another big bottleneck is around GP access: it’s not unusual to wait two weeks or longer for an appointment.”

Demand for both musculoskeletal and mental health services has increased steadily over the past few years. This is down to the pandemic, says Watling. “People are more comfortable asking for help with their mental health now,” he explains. ”Additionally, changes to the way we work means employees are more likely to suffer musculoskeletal problems.”

Dentistry is another challenging area. The latest figures, Experiences of NHS healthcare services in England , published by the Office for National Statistics in April 2025, show that only a fifth of people who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the last month were successful. Dave Middleton, chair of the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries (AMII), says: “The number of NHS dentists is falling. In some parts of the country, there just aren’t any NHS dentists.”

Effect on the workforce

Having to wait for healthcare can have unwelcome side effects for employers. Paul Gambon, sales and marketing director at Medicash, says: “It can affect sickness absence levels but also productivity,. If someone has to wait two weeks to see a GP, it’s human nature to worry, even though there might be nothing wrong.”

Conditions, especially around musculoskeletal and mental health issues, can also worsen while employees sit on waiting lists. This can bump up absence significantly and, where a condition stops someone working, could potentially reduce their chances of returning to work.

Gaps in NHS provision are also changing claims behaviour. Concerns about the NHS mean usage and claims volumes are up across many health-related products. For example, Gambon has seen an increase in claims for specialist consultations and diagnostic tests as employees look to reduce a wait for treatment.

Employers are responding to this demand too. “Employees expect healthcare,” says Middleton. “Sales of health insurance products have increased over the last few years.”

Filling the gaps

There are plenty of options for employers looking to help staff access healthcare. Private medical insurance (PMI) will foot the bill when an employee chooses to have elective treatment privately, while a health cash plan will contribute to everyday healthcare expenses such as a dental check-up or a physiotherapy session.

Digital services are common across these products, enabling even speedier access. As an example, Gambon points to the digital physiotherapy assessment tool, Phio, on Medicash’s cash plan. “It’s accessible 24/7 so an employee can get advice instantly, potentially preventing a niggle become a major problem,” he says.

Group income protection is another valuable benefit when it comes to early intervention. Although plans typically have waiting periods of 13 or 26 weeks, insurers want to know as soon as possible that an employee might need to submit a claim, says Watling. “Insurers will do what they can, including funding treatment, to help the employee get back to work, often even before they can make a claim,” he explains.

Making it work

Tailoring health benefits to the workforce, and budget, is also important. Employers should also speak to staff first, says Middleton.. “[An organisation’s] sickness data can inform decisions but, as NHS provision varies around the country, employers should talk to employees to find out what they want,” he explains.

Existing products can also help to fill the gaps. Many include added value services such as virtual GPs and mental health support that may have slipped under the radar.

Where budgets are under extreme pressure, employers may want to consider introducing an EAP and a virtual GP service as the bare minimum, says Gambon. “These are low-cost options that allow employees to get access to support quickly,” he explains.

And, as claims and premiums tick up, employers may also want to include some wellbeing benefits that support prevention to ensure staff stay healthy, happy and productive.