Health Shield reveals five new services, each chosen with a clear purpose
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Health Shield Friendly Society has launched five new services as part of its new Workforce Health Plan.
These new services have been selected using a purpose-led design focus, which organises every benefit and service around five workforce health pathways: primary care, MSK care, cancer and early detection, mental health and cardio care.
Each pathway targets a leading cause of workplace ill-health, so every service has a clear reason to be there.
The services include a pathway navigator, virtual physiotherapy, cancer risk assessment and at home testing, neurodiversity advice and support and Fibricheck.
The new services form part of Health Shield’s Workforce Health Plan, which will support businesses of 100 plus employees to prevent ill health.
Paul Shires, director at Health Shield Friendly Society said: “Too many health cash plans compete on ever-longer lists of features. Purpose-led design gives every benefit and service in our plan a clear job to do, informed by NHS clinical priorities, and each new service compliments at least one of our pathways.
“They help people spot health problems before they grow and result in faster access to the right support when it’s needed most. The services also deliver clear next steps to ensure employees know how to manage any health concerns.
“Because every service is tied to a clear need, employers can see where their investment makes the biggest difference for their workforce. This support comes at a crunch time for businesses as NHS waiting lists cause delays and young people entering the workforce are already struggling with mental health.”
For the primary care pathway, Pathway Navigator features expert nurse-led support to help employees understand what happens after a referral, how the system works, what their options are and how to navigate NHS and private options with assistance.
Strengthening the MSK care pathway, Virtual Physiotherapy provides faster access to musculoskeletal care, with personalised support from assessment to recovery.
Employees can speak to a qualified chartered physiotherapist on a telephone or video call within two working days and secure a clinical assessment and a personalised rehabilitation plan to help them recover sooner. Musculoskeletal issues are a major cause of sickness absence and earlier support can tackle issues before they become more serious.
Within the cancer and early detection pathway, Cancer Risk Assessment and At-Home Testing gives employees a personalised view of their risk across six common cancers, with guidance on NHS screening and next steps.
Where included, people can also access at-home tests, with dedicated clinical support if further attention is needed. If a test delivers an abnormal result a cancer nurse specialist provides guidance and next steps for the individual.
Supporting the mental health pathway, Neurodiversity advice and support service uses digital assessments to help people understand their needs, access practical tools and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-based techniques. They also receive guidance on relevant next steps, including NHS pathways and specialist support.
It delivers self-funded ADHD and Autism diagnostic assessments where clinically appropriate too.
Finally, for the cardio care pathway, Fibricheck, a clinically-validated smartphone app, means employees can check their heart rhythm wherever they are, helping to identify potential irregularities earlier and take informed next steps when further support may be needed.
The Workforce Health Plan was officially launched in London on 5th November and builds on the trusted foundations of a health cash plan, where employees can claim money back for everyday health care costs such as dental, optical or physiotherapy.
Purpose-Led Design works alongside the plan’s other pillars, Health Intelligence and Trusted Partnership, so employers can see where need is greatest and invest accordingly.
Quotes are available now for the Workforce Health Plan, with start dates in January 2027. www.healthshield.co.uk/TailoredWFHP
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About Health Shield Friendly Society
Health Shield is an award-winning friendly society, dedicated to helping businesses stay in the best of health by providing employee health benefits. Founded in 1877 to support the health of railway workers, today the not-for-profit mutual provides employee health benefits to businesses across the UK, covering more than 500,000 people. Its award-winning product offering includes health cash plans and health screening services designed for prevention and early intervention.
For more information visit: https://www.healthshield.co.uk/
About the Tailored Workforce Health Plan
Health Shield’s Tailored Workforce Health Plan is built on three inter-connected pillars, each one stronger because of the others:
- Purpose-Led Design Ensures that every benefit and service in the plan has a clear role, organised around five workforce health pathways:
o Primary care or everyday health concerns
o Musculoskeletal issues
o Cancer and early detection
o Mental health
o Cardio care
- Health Intelligence Gives a clearer view of workforce health by providing employers with an aggregate and anonymised view of employee health. This enables them to understand emerging needs, where support is being used and where targeted action is required, while maintaining individual confidentiality.
- Trusted Partnership A dedicated Partnership Success Manager beside brokers and employers all year round, not just at renewal, helping to turn insight into the action.
Together these three inter-connecting pillars combine to enable people and businesses to recognise problems, seek advice sooner and take proactive steps.
Health Shield customers have always been able to tailor their plan to individual needs, but with the Tailored Workforce Health Plan, businesses can use Health Intelligence to identify where needs are greatest and adjust the plan accordingly.
This ensures investment is prioritised in areas where the most pressing health concerns are present.
