Health insurance and healthcare provider Bupa has partnered with OH provider Optima Health in a move designed to expand access to occupational health services for employers.
The tie-up means that from early 2020 Bupa’s 900 corporate customers will be able to access a network of more than 500 occupational health practitioners across more than 120 sites, giving them increased levels of OH support and more flexibility.
Occupational health access
Improved occupational health access will help NHS achieve long-term goals
Sarah Melia, director for Bupa Health Clinics, said: “Occupational health is a key part of our offering for corporate customers and plays a vital role in supporting the UK workforce. As a result of this partnership we’ll have access to hundreds more specialists, meaning we can give our customers the support they need – wherever and whenever they need it.”
Optima Health CEO Simon Arnold said the partnership would improve health and wellbeing services for organisations that used Bupa and bring further innovation.
“Our goal, as always, is to support healthy high performance for organisations and their people, enabling people to take better care of their own health and wellbeing,” he added.
The move comes against an increased focus on, and discussion around, how to widen access to occupational health and workplace health support.
Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Social Care unveiled a raft of measures, subject to consultation, to improve access to OH services. These included considering whether to introduce vouchers or subsidies for smaller businesses to access OH support and the government working with partners to encourage an increase in the number of OH practitioners.
