Health Management

Westfield Health can provide Liverpool Chamber members with health plans and cover to ensure staff remain healthy and happy. This reduces time off work through sickness and stress. This in turn ensures your company keeps operating at optimum levels.

The UK economy is facing its worst crisis for 60 years, according to Chancellor Alistair Darling. But what can businesses do to help minimise the impact on their company and their staff?

Many people are feeling the financial strain at the moment and are cutting back on luxuries and being ruthless with their budgeting. Many are increasingly looking for ways to help them cope with the pressure of paying for everyday healthcare.

Most unexpected health bills spring from visits to the dentist or optician.

Lately, for example there has been a decline in free immediate NHS treatment and an ongoing rise in costs.

But the credit crunch not only has an impact on whether or not people can afford medical treatment, but also on the type of treatment they need. Recent findings from the Mental Health Foundation revealed that people are becoming more isolated and anti-social due to financial worries. This can have an adverse effect on mental health.

One of the ways people can budget for health bills during tough economic times is to purchase a health cash plan.

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Westfield Health is the official health cash plan provider for the British Chambers of Commerce. Its Chamber Primary Health Plan is available to all members of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

This enables employees to claim money back towards the cost of dental treatment, eye care, physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, diagnostic consultations and much more.

It also provides access to a 24-hour counselling and advice line and up to six face-to-face counselling sessions.

Individuals are not the only ones to struggle during hard times. Businesses also need to ensure that they maintain a motivated and productive workforce.

Latest figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) have shown that sickness absence cost the UK economy £13.2 billion last year and the impact of this hits home even harder during a recession.

Employers are now realising that while introducing a health cash plan for staff is an immediate cost, the savings made on absence in particular can result in a significant increase on bottom line profitability.

Cash plans can form part of company risk management programmes, with benefits particularly targeting workplace absence issues such as stress and musculoskeletal problems.

For more information about the Chamber Primary Health Plan contact Westfield Health on 0845 602 1629, visit www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber or email businessenquiries@westfieldhealth.com