As an employer in 2020 the issue of work related stress disorders is an extremely hot topic. With the impact of COVID-19 affecting people’s ability to work in a “normal” way or in some cases no work at all, work related stress issues are surely going to be affected in a negative way. With so many people working from home and losing face to face contact with their colleagues and managers, how can employers really assess whether or not an employee is struggling with the current working climate. Yes, there is the option of zoom calls and team video calls,…

Mental health treatment is available in many different formats. The treatment you need will depend on the severity of your condition. Essentially the earlier you start your treatment the better. Early intervention is a key element of your recovery. A recent survey by the charity Mind has found that the coronavirus lock-down has had a detrimental effect on mental health. According to their survey of 16,500 people, 22% of adults who had no previous experience of poor mental health now say that their mental health is poor or very poor. For full details of the survey and its results, please…

If you are buying a private medical insurance policy your quotations may feature moratorium underwriting. Now as this is not a common term, what does it actually mean? For consumers in the UK, underwriting for health insurance is usually either Full Medical Underwriting or Moratorium. The choice you make between the two options should ultimately depend on your own medical history. What is the definition of moratorium underwriting? You are not asked to give details of your medical history when setting up the policy. Instead the insurer does not cover treatment for any medical condition that you have received treatment…

Private medical insurance is widely available throughout the world. In some countries it is a necessity but here in the UK it works brilliantly alongside the NHS. Throughout the COVID19 pandemic, private hospital facilities have been a valuable back up for the NHS. People with health insurance may have experienced delays in consultations and treatments. Most of the UK health insurance providers have recognised this and have pledged to make this right with their members.  Many have confirmed they will review the relevant claims data relating to this time period. Insurers have also increased access to video and telephone consultations…

Many people may not have even heard about excess insurance at all, yet it pretty much does what it says on the tin and offers consumers great value for money. Excess insurance for individuals/ families Perhaps you are thinking about adding an excess to your private medical insurance policy to reduce the annual premium you pay? Many people decide to take health insurance for cover relating to the big claim/ expensive treatment type scenarios and opt to self-fund the out-patients and therapies. Customers who take a policy on this basis may also opt to add a high excess to the…

To provide clarity for our private medical insurance clients around the coronavirus pandemic and how this will affect their cover whether as a business or personal policy, please read the information provided below: As we have read in the news the government has announced that an agreement has been made between the NHS and private facilities in the UK. This means that the NHS will be supported with additional resources. This will be essential to help them meet the demand for clinical care which is anticipated over the coming weeks and months. Every day the numbers are growing in relation…

From the outset of this post, please do not think we are referring to anything relating to coronavirus – if you need advice or medical assistance for coronavirus then please follow the government guidelines on the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response Private medical insurance (PMI) can really come in to its own at this time when the NHS is under extreme pressure of unprecedented levels. The whole NHS system is doing an outstanding job of coping with an unknown demand and those of us who are fortunate enough to have access to PMI should now look at the help available for non-coronavirus…

There are numerous options available when it comes to buying private medical insurance. The hospital options can really add to the confusion and massively affect the premium that you pay. Not all insurers have a “hospital list” and therefore, how do you know if your cost comparison is accurate? More importantly than that, do you know whether your health insurance follows a guided option (the insurer tells you which hospital or consultant you should use) or whether you still have the option to choose which hospital you use? Over recent years most of the health insurance providers in the UK…

It is a real myth that podiatry treatment is just for the elderly. Looking after your feet can make an unbelievable difference to everyone. If you regularly visit a qualified podiatrist or chiropodist then you will know exactly what we are talking about. What does a podiatrist do? When you make your first visit to the podiatrist they will go through a medical history questionnaire to establish any underlying illnesses that may affect your general health. Conditions such as diabetes can really affect your feet. Once this has been done the podiatrist will: Assess your feet Cut your toenails and…

There is more to the “occupational health” banner than you may be aware of. The costs of occupational health is not crippling to your business and keeping a fit and healthy workforce could actually save you money in the long term. Looking after the wellbeing of your staff is key to keeping your business running smoothly. What is occupational health? Occupational health is a specialised classification of medicine that concentrates on the wellbeing of employees in the workplace. This covers both the physical and mental wellbeing. Striving to prevent work-related illness and injury by encompassing a number of elements including:…