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January 7th, 2011
Back in September I suggested that providing employees with a flu vaccination seemed a sound investment ahead of the winter months. Like many health related commercial considerations, the costs of prevention (about £7 a shot) were significantly less than the costs of illness related absence and cure. I wonder how many employers factored flu vaccinations into their health and wellbeing strategy.
As is usual at this time of year, you can’t turn a page or click on a website without being bombarded with swine flu and absence related stories. One of the current headlines is that there is a shortage of the most up to date flu vaccine. With most professional commentators saying that we are coming to the peak of the flu outbreak, isn’t it a bit late to discover this? The whole point of vaccination programmes is to carry them out well in advance of a potential virus outbreak.
Were you ahead of the game? What are your flu related absence costs going to be come March? Has it made you consider a different approach come next autumn?
Posted in Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
January 5th, 2011
The team at BHF have been in touch again recently to let me know that over 800 organisations have signed up to their Health at Work Programme . They are making a big push for it in January to help employees get healthy in the New Year following the festivities.
Have a look at their website to see what they are up to and what use you can make of the free resources on offer. Here’s the press release in full:
Kick the January blues and get healthy at work in 2011
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is urging workers everywhere to kick the January blues and get healthy at work in the New Year by joining the BHF’s Health at Work programme.
A recent survey revealed that 30 per cent of workers admit to eating more unhealthy snacks and treats during the working day and over a third (34%) say they tend to be less active at work than at home. The BHF Health at Work programme helps organisations everywhere, large and small, to set up their own health club at work, from arranging regular lunchtime walks to organising a company football team.
Lisa Purcell, Project Manager for the BHF’s Health at Work Programme said:
“It can be difficult to find the motivation to get fit and healthy during January when we are faced with cold weather and dark nights. Our survey revealed UK workers tend to exercise less or eat more unhealthily during the working day. This doesn’t have to be the case. Just going for a walk on your lunch break or clubbing together for a regular fruit bowl can make a real difference to your wellbeing. “
The programme, sponsored by Legal & General, has already signed up more than 800 organisations. Employees from bin men to bank tellers are joining the scheme and getting fit together. Lisa adds:
“For employers, the rewards are clear. Encouraging workers to eat healthy and exercise during the working day can improve productivity, reduce staff turnover, and result in fewer sick days. Why not challenge your employees to become a fitter, healthier workforce in 2011?”
Sign up for free and get all the advice and resources you need to start your own health club at work at bhf.org.uk/healthatwork.
ENDS
Posted in Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
December 15th, 2010
I don’t know whether this is down to Geoffrey Glazer at FIPO lobbying the House of Lords or as a result of Circle’s Ali Parsa’s complaints mentioned in a Shandwell post recently - could be a combination of both.
It’s been a long time coming, but its going to happen.
I think there will be some very interesting findings for employers.
Posted in Views on the News | No Comments »
December 14th, 2010
Since the general election, the Health Work and Wellbeing (HWWB) team have been pretty quiet about their future plans and objectives. Remember it is made up of representation from DWP, DoH, HSE, Scottish Government and The Welsh Assembly. They have recently published a report outlining baseline indicators on health and wellbeing reflected in surveys of both employees and employers. I don’t know who they surveyed, but some of the responses indicate that their messages are not hitting home. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Managing ill health, Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
December 9th, 2010
Having opened its new hospital in Bath earlier this year – and set up a challenge to existing private hospital relationships with private medical insurers - Ali Parsa’s Circle has secured £50m funding from the BP pension fund to build another facility in Reading. It’s due to open autumn 2012.
Circle intend to build 30 hospitals across the UK in the coming years which is pretty ambitious. They may have an advantage over older private hospital stock, in that each hospital can be designed to meet the challenges of increased support for the NHS and new clinical developments. Only time will tell.
Posted in Views on the News | No Comments »
December 2nd, 2010
Further to my post that I am going to be doing some work with BreastHealth UK, only yesterday, the media ran a story quoting cancer specialists from The London Breast Institute. Their research has shown that 1,000 lives would be saved if women were offered annual mammograms from the age of 40 rather than 50 which is the current entry age for the NHS breast screening programme.
Only 2% of the 7,000 women in their 40s diagnosed with breast cancer every year were identified through screening. Of these 7,000, it is likely that 3,000 will die of the disease.
Dr Nick Perry, director of The London Breast Institute commented, ‘Regular screening is already proven to lower the chance of women dying from breast cancer. The results of our study support the importance of regular screening in the under-50 age group and confirm that annual mammography improves the chances of breast conservation should breast cancer develop.’
Click here for the full article.
Posted in Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
December 1st, 2010
The Coalition’s White Paper ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’ was published yesterday. Whilst it makes reference to the role of employers and highlights their responsibility, there is nothing as yet that we haven’t heard before.
The government calls on employers to provide better training for managers, forge closer links with occupational health and, wait for it, set up mini competitions / challenges between staff in activities such as cycling. This is hardly the radical approach that they refer to in the beginning of the document.
I don’t know who they consulted with before publication, but I don’t think they realise the significant investment that many employers already make in the health of the working population, saving much of the public purse. What would really galvanise employers are tax/financial incentives that reward them for making further investment.
Posted in Managing ill health, Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
November 29th, 2010
I recently met with Troels Jordansen, the Danish MD of BreastHealth UK, and spent some time talking to him about their breastcheck and screening services which they have developed for the corporate market. Having learned how much more can be done to prevent or reduce the enormous financial and emotional costs of breast cancer, I now believe their services to be some of the most relevant and valuable health benefits available to employers and their employees. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
November 17th, 2010
November has been a busy month for the House of Lords in respect of two Private Medical Insurance (PMI) issues that lobbyists have been successful in getting an airing. The first concerns a long running dispute between certain consultants and the two largest private medical insurers around the latter looking to implement fixed fee schedules on the former. The second relates to the impact that private medical insurers reimbursement policies have on cancer patients. Let’s look at each in turn and what relevance they have for employers. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Managing ill health, Preventing ill health, Views on the News | No Comments »
November 4th, 2010
I was recently invited by the the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries (AMII) to be a guest at their Annual General Meeting. From a relatively low profile since its inception in 1998, it has really built up a head of steam over the last few years and is now quite an influential body with the ear of most of the private medical insurers. In an industry that does not require any qualifications to sell advice, their drive to increase professionalism is welcome. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Views on the News | No Comments »
