Is private healthcare worthwhile for small and medium businesses? Dr Zubair Ahmed, co-founder and CEO of Medicspot, explains why we should be thinking differently about employee health…
Many businesses in the UK are still missing out on the benefits of providing private healthcare to their employees. This is due to the widely-held perception that only large corporates can afford this.
Increased competition from digital disruptors has made offering health benefits more affordable than ever. Plans start from as little as a Netflix subscription, so giving your employees access to private healthcare may be more affordable than first thought.
Why the health of your team is non-negotiable
Your employees are your business. We’ve heard it time and time again, but there’s a lot of truth to the saying, otherwise, it wouldn’t be so often repeated. Looking after your employees leads to countless benefits, including attendance, productivity, morale, reputation and retention. Not least, it will improve the happiness and mental health of your employees.
Providing private healthcare has immeasurable effects on recruitment and retention. According to a 2015 survey by Glassdoor, 57% of people cite workplace perks as a primary concern when evaluating a job offer, with a 2017 Harvard Business Review survey showing that 88% of people consider healthcare to be the most valuable benefit.
When employees are healthier and happier, they work better. In a 2017 study, Britain’s Healthiest Workplace found that healthy organisations are 25 days a year more productive than unhealthy organisations. This shows how productivity can be improved when SMEs invest in the health and wellbeing of their employees.
When employees are not in good health, it can have a big impact on small businesses. The health of your business is dependent on the health of your employees. By looking after the health of your employees and providing quick access to effective treatment, SMEs can benefit from reducing their number of sick days.
The best private health benefit for your company
Offering a private doctor service might be the most appealing option for your business since it may take weeks for your employees to get an appointment with an NHS GP. The traditional way of doing this is to have regular on-site visits from a private doctor. However, this can be very expensive and may not suitable for small businesses.
There is another option available: a new service that combines the convenience and accessibility of digital healthcare with the clinical safety of an on-site doctor. This works by placing state-of-the-art diagnostic stations in your office, allowing employees to immediately have a video consultation with a private doctor.
Doctors can then remotely examine the employee using connected diagnostic devices, allowing them to listen to their heart and lungs, examine their throat and ears, and take vital signs including oxygen levels, blood pressure and body temperature. Due to the examination capabilities, as many as 95% of conditions can be treated without being referred back to an NHS GP. Currently, Medicspot is the only provider offering this technology.
The right choice for you and your business depends on the number of employees you have, how many locations you operate in and the size of your budget. Medicspot can tailor a plan that suits your needs and works within your budget. Give employees access to a doctor from your office and provide allow them to use the largest network of private GP clinics in the UK.
About the author
Dr Zubair Ahmed is the co-founder and CEO of Medicspot, a private GP service with the largest network of GP practices in the UK. With its unique on-site clinical station, Medicspot offers businesses like yours the best quality care at market-disrupting prices.
