News – Page 126

  • Article

    Denplan enhances product range

    2013-12-04T12:06:00Z

    Denplan has enhanced the benefit limits across its Lucent product range.It will now also cover dental implants as standard and has added two new levels of cover.Other changes include:Increased cover for mouth cancer of up to £20,000.Increased hospital cash benefits.Increased cover for call-out fees.Unlimited cover for telephone consultations.Pam Whelan, head ...

  • Article

    Axa PPP to launch musculoskeletal health pathway

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    Axa PPP Healthcare is to launch a new referral approach for employees with musculoskeletal conditions.Its Musculoskeletal Health Pathway, which will be available from 1 January 2014, aims to cut the claims’ costs of private medical insurance by ensuring employees are referred quickly to suitable providers for evidence-based care.The referral approach ...

  • Article

    Court rules on disability and work-related stress

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    The Court of Appeal has overturned findings by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in a discrimination case between an employee suffering from work-related stress and his employer, which relied on the advice of its external occupational health advisers.The issue in Gallop v Newport City Council was to determine what is ...

  • BHF-SicknessAbsenceStats-2013
    Article

    650,000 UK staff off sick each week

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    Nearly 650,000 UK employees phone in sick every week, according to research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).Its research, which analysed figures from the BHF’s Health at Work programme, found that the public administration and defence sector, which includes many public sector jobs, has the highest absence levels, with approximately ...

  • Article

    Telephonic support can facilitate return to work

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    The government has published its findings on the potential value of using telephone services to provide health and return-to-work support.Its Telephonic support to facilitate return to work: what works, how and when? report aims to provide an evidence base for the use of telephonic assessment and support to facilitate timely ...

  • Article

    Danone uses health cash plan to cut PMI costs

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    Danone has launched a health cash plan to supplement its private medical insurance (PMI) scheme.Its 1,300 employees will have access to the benefit, provided by BHSF, through the food manufacturer’s flexible benefits platform.The health cash plan, which includes cover for low-cost treatments, therapies and eye tests, was introduced due to ...

  • Article

    InterGlobal enhances cancer cover on international PMI

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    InterGlobal has enhanced the cover for cancer treatment available through its 2014 UltraCare international private medical insurance (IPMI) scheme.The international medical insurer has removed previous benefit limits and excesses for cancer from its plan.Its UltraCare Standard, Select, Comprehensive and Elite plans will now cover the costs of all in-patient, day ...

  • Article

    Lloyds Register centralises global mobility services

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    EXCLUSIVE: Lloyds Register is in the process of developing a centralised global mobility service across its international locations.The organisation, which has four business streams in energy, marine, management systems and transportation, has around 200 formal expatriate employees.Selina Jones-May, head of global mobility at Lloyds Register, said: “When I joined two ...

  • Article

    Flexible working critical to ease workplace stress

    2013-12-01T00:00:00Z

    More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents believe flexible working is critical in easing work-related stress, according to research by global workplace provider Regus.Its research, which surveyed 4,000 employees, found that 45% of respondents believe stress is causing an increase in absenteeism.The research also found:38% of respondents are losing sleep worrying ...

  • Article

    Network Rail launches eyecare scheme

    2013-11-27T10:45:00Z

    Network Rail has introduced an eyecare scheme for its 35,000 employees.The employer is providing Premium Club vouchers, provided by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, which offer discounts on glasses for staff and two members of their family.This is alongside eye examinations and glasses for employees to meet the legal obligations of health ...

  • Article

    Buyer's guide to corporate gym membership 2013

    2013-11-25T00:00:00Z

    Organisations are recognising that corporate gym membership can help to produce more engaged employees who tend to be happier and have more energy and motivation in the workplace.Signing up to corporate gym membership can save staff money, especially if it is fully funded by the employer. It can be offered ...

  • Article

    Buyer's guide to healthcare trusts 2013

    2013-11-25T00:00:00Z

    A cost-effective alternative to private medical insurance (PMI) is for an employer to provide medical cover for staff through a healthcare trust. This can be particularly beneficial for organisations with more than 500 employees and a medical benefit spend exceeding £250,000 a year.Healthcare trusts, which first appeared in the 1980s, ...

  • Article

    David Lloyd Leisure launches corporate gym benefit

    2013-11-22T10:45:00Z

    David Lloyd Leisure has launched a corporate gym membership called DL Flex.The scheme can be offered by employers to employees through a flexible benefits package, via a salary sacrifice arrangement, as a net pay gym loan deduction or as an employer-paid benefit.The corporate gym membership includes:A session with a personal ...

  • Article

    Jay Butler: Which wellbeing initiative has the biggest impact on the workforce?

    2013-11-11T04:48:00Z

    Activity is a key focus of MyWellbeing and is promoted widely to the organisation’s employees. We encourage staff to access our on-site fitness centres and offer tax-efficient membership through MyBenefitChoices, our flexible benefits programme, in addition to discounted rates at off-site health clubs. More than two-thirds of our employees access ...

  • Article

    Thomas Hiles: Which wellbeing initiative has the biggest impact on the workforce?

    2013-11-05T05:34:00Z

    Health screening can be costly and is not always widespread in UK workplaces, sometimes restricted to senior employees. But where it can be extended it is, for me, the most valuable component of a wellbeing programme. This can also explain the cost, although in the flexible benefits world, it can ...

  • Article

    Employers invest in healthcare and wellbeing benefits

    2013-11-05T05:09:00Z

    Oxfam launched an employee assistance programme (EAP) for its 1,300 staff, as did 2 Sisters Food Group, which introduced the benefit to coincide with an online health assessment programme.Meanwhile, French kitchenware manufacturer Le Creuset now offers its UK staff an on-site gym run by Personal Touch Fitness.James Shillaker, chief executive ...

  • Article

    London Luton Airport halves healthcare costs

    2013-11-01T00:00:00Z

    EXCLUSIVE: London Luton Airport has halved its health insurance premiums and seen employee take up of its health benefits rise to nearly 100% over the past year.The airport launched a health cash plan, Mosaic, and hospital treatment insurance, with healthcare provider Westfield Health in 2012.Mosaic, which can be tailored to ...

  • Article

    Universal Provident to withdraw hybrid health plan

    2013-11-01T00:00:00Z

    Universal Provident is to withdraw its hybrid health plan from the market.The Oasis Plan, which included a £15,000 lump-sum serious illness benefit, major medical expenses and a hospital plan component, was a hybrid health cash plan and private medical insurance (PMI) scheme.Dale Tranter (pictured), assistant group manager at Universal Provident, ...

  • Article

    Aviva trains rehabilitation team in mental health first aid

    2013-11-01T00:00:00Z

    Aviva has trained its 20-strong rehabilitation team to be mental health first aid instructors.The training, by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, will support Aviva’s in-house clinical specialist psychiatric nurse and in-house clinical physiotherapist, as well as a dedicated team of rehabilitation case managers.They have been trained to recognise the ...

  • Article

    Shell staff most active in Europe

    2013-10-15T11:32:00Z

    Shell has been named the most active organisation in Europe by the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC).The global oil and petrochemical company was chosen because nearly 14,000 employees across 34 countries took part in the 2013 GCC, an addition of 12 countries on its participation in 2013.The Global Corporate Challenge is ...