Tag Archives: stress

Every year over 26 million working days are lost to sickness absence, resulting in employers paying £9 billion a year in sick pay and associated costs.

In addition, the financial burden on businesses looks set to increase as cases of workplace stress reach a four-year high, with British workers being the most stressed compared to colleagues in some of the world’s biggest economies. A study of 60,000 workers showed the UK’s stress level has risen by 10% since 2008; high stress levels can decrease productivity and lead to an increase in absences as stressed individuals are tired and particularly susceptible to illness.

With further Government reforms, budget cuts and 18-week waiting lists at hospitals – can you really afford not to consider looking after the health of your staff?

Why do you need Private Medical Insurance (PMI)?
Under health and safety legislation, as an employer, you have a duty of care to protect your employee’s health and manage the risk effectively. If a member of your staff falls ill, PMI enables them to gain access to treatment quickly, bypassing lengthy waiting lists and reducing the time that they are absent from work.

PMI also demonstrates that businesses value their staff which helps to reduce staff turnover and attract high-calibre candidates.

Why use the services of Perkins Slade for your Private Medical Insurance?
As an independent intermediary, we can offer you a tailored solution from all of the largest PMI providers. We have already helped many of our commercial clients to set up schemes designed to meet their employees’ needs. We understand the demands on you as an employer to provide peace of mind and protection to your staff, both in the UK and abroad.

There are varying levels of cover available which can be for the individual or tailored to include their families. The plan covers the cost of private medical specialists, x-rays, drugs, surgery, accommodation and nursing bills in a private hospital or ward in an NHS hospital, and is designed to cover treatment for curable, short-term illness or injury.

If you have staff that regularly travel or live and work abroad, it is essential that an appropriate plan is in place. Perkins Slade offers International PMI cover which is an added reassurance when encountering issues such as foreign medical administration procedures and potential language barriers. It can be very expensive and difficult to access treatment when away from home.

Perkins Slade also offers Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and cash plans, which include holistic treatments, optical and dental plans, or up to 16 treatments of physiotherapy per year. The EAP further provides counselling for matters such as stress, anxiety, bereavement, depression and even help on quitting smoking.

Sickness and absence statistics

• In 2010/11 around 26.4 million working days were lost in total, 22.1 million due to work-related illness and 4.4 million due to workplace injuries
• On average, each person suffering took around 15 days off work
• The number of working days lost has fallen over the past decade
• Stress, depression or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for the majority of days lost
• The average days lost per case for stress, depression or anxiety is 27 days.

For more information on days lost visit: www.hse.gov.uk

Contact
Whether you require advice on setting up a group policy, international PMI cover, individual cover or information about a cash plan, you can be confident that Perkins Slade will maintain the excellent level of service and commitment you have come to expect. We will be able to provide an informed decision on the best product to suit your needs.

Please contact Gaynor Lane on 0121 698 8174 or email g.lane@perkins-slade.com

Perkins Slade is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

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