Health Business - New service launched in response to Health and Wellbeing agenda

New service launched in response to Health and Wellbeing agenda

NHS Health and Wellbeing Service to provide resources and benefits of employee health.

The NHS Health and Wellbeing Service has been launched to save Trusts time and money by providing a central hub of resources and benefits covering every aspect of employee health.

The service, developed by NHS Discounts, aims to help NHS Trusts respond to the Department of Health’s new employee Health and Wellbeing agenda.

It is in response to the Boorman Review, which estimated that the NHS could save £555 million by improving employee health and reducing absenteeism.

Barts and The London NHS Trust have already signed up to receive the service over the next three years, commencing April 2010.

Key benefits of the service are that trusts can easily measure progress through quarterly ‘pulse’ surveys, improved understanding among employees of the value of their total employment package, through ‘Total Reward Statements’ and a potential saving of up to 75 per cent of the cost of purchasing individual elements of the service.

Also, the central resource hub includes online and promotional materials covering everything from smoking cessation to healthy eating, thus saving Trusts time, shared best practice through an online knowledge bank and regular forums and access to exclusive benefits that support fitness, healthy eating and lifestyle initiatives.

Ali Mohammed, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Barts and The London NHS Trust said: “This initiative will help us enhance our offering to staff in conjunction with the health & wellbeing agenda which is a key component of the NHS Operating Framework."

"It will also form a key part in supporting our staff engagement and retention strategies."

Further information:
NHS Health and Wellbeing