Gareth Walters, a Healthcare Partner for WPA (and Chamber Board member) shone a spotlight on a brief history of the NHS and the private insurance sector to a packed house during December’s 1st Wednesday networking.
He gave an insight into his own personal career journey into the medical insurance sector and the satisfaction of working with a service that can literally be lifesaving.
Here’s a reminder of some of the information presented:
- The NHS has 1.5 million staff making it Europe’s largest employer
- Around 10 million people have private medical insurance and/or heath cash plans
- 78% of people insured are in company paid schemes, 22% in personal plans
- Some 515 private hospitals with 28,000 consultants and specialists treat 1m patients annually
Impact of Covid-19
- In March 2020 all private hospitals were requisitioned by the NHS
- In November 2020 all were open again for private patients with regional variances in working hours capacity between 25-100%
Sickness and absence from work: the employee/employer experience
- Average sick days per employee per year = 5.6 days
- Cost to the UK economy is £77bn
- The most common causes of short-term absences form work are minor illnesses and muscular skeletal injuries
- The most common causes of long-term absences form work are mental health including clinical depression and anxiety
- Providing medical insurance for employees improves morale and engagement and reduces absence from work.
WPA can offer insurance protection to individuals, families and businesses. You can reach Gareth as follows:
Gareth Walters Cert CII
Healthcare Partner
Director of Stanhope Medical Ltd
Appointed Representative of WPA Healthcare Practice Plc
T: 01892 546619 M: 07766 710664
E: gareth.walters@wpa-hcp.org.uk W: wpa.org.uk/garethwalters