Millions around the UK experience stress and it’s damaging our health and well-being. At some point in the last year, 74% of us have felt so stressed that we’ve felt unable to cope, even for a short period of time, according to the Mental Health Foundation. Although it can’t remove the source of the stress, Private Medical Insurance (PMI), could be an effective solution to managing the consequences of stress.
Although stress can affect all of us, it shouldn’t always be seen as negative. After all, it can be a natural response to a requirement to deliver a task of some sort. However, continued stress can set in motion a whole series of physical and mental conditions which can have a seriously detrimental impact on a person’s quality of life, their health and unsurprisingly, their ability to perform their job role.
National Stress Awareness day, (always the first Wednesday in November, so November 2nd this year) is a useful reminder to look out for the trigger signs in ourselves as well as in others, as half the battle is recognising there is an issue.
According to WebMD, some of the psychological and emotional signs of stress are:
- Depression or anxiety
- Anger, irritability, or restlessness
- Feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Racing thoughts or constant worry
- Problems with your memory or concentration
- Having problems with decision-making
Physical manifestations of stress may include:
- Headaches
- Sweating
- Stomach problems
- Muscle tension or pain
- Feeling tired or dizzy
- Sexual problems
- Rapid heart rate
- Dry mouth
- Shortness of breath
- Sleeping issues
Given such a wide-ranging potential to render someone physically or mentally unable to enjoy what they would regard as a normal life (by their own standards and expectations), it’s clear that addressing the situation is critical to returning to an enjoyable and functioning quality of life.
Many employers now offer Private Medical Insurance as part of their remuneration packages to tempt people to join or stay with an organisation. And the appeal to employees is very clear. Given the current challenge of lengthy NHS waiting lists and the demand put on primary care and GP surgeries, PMI may be the most efficient means of addressing the impact of stress on someone. Even if the maximum wait time for non-urgent referrals of 18 weeks was always met, that duration is far too long for most people living with the day-to-day consequences of stress.
Carmen Dunnigan, Director at C&C Healthcare says: “The Private Medical Insurance market has seen significant growth since the start of the pandemic. There are now over seven million people on NHS waiting lists in England, which has clearly driven demand for private provision across both the individual and corporate sectors. We’re also seeing an uptake in provision from within industry sectors that previously generally wouldn’t have offered it to employees.”
Fellow Director at C&C Healthcare, Paul Lewis, agrees: “Many employers are realising the advantages of providing PMI. Waiting months and sometimes years for treatment is detrimental not only to their employees’ physical health but also to their mental health and to the well-being of their families. The impact is also huge to businesses if staff cannot perform their role or attend work due to limited access to treatment. Helping people obtain private medical treatment has become a bigger than ever priority for employers.”
Most Private Medical Insurance policies also have mental health as an add-on, for a small additional amount. Given the benefits attached to this slight increase in premium, it’s easy to see why it’s so attractive to many employers.
Typically, this provision may include, counselling sessions (phone or face-to-face), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and treatment through a Psychologist or Psychiatrist, either as an in or outpatient. Equally PMI policies are able to address the diagnosis of the physiological consequences of stress. Insurers also often provide services free of charge to support businesses, by providing them with a tool kit that employees can access through an App.
A growing area of support provision is Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). For approximately £15 a year per person (at time of publication), staff would have access to a 24/7 helpline, a well-being App and 6 to 8 sessions of face-to-face counselling. Furthermore, a PMI policy isn’t required to put an EAP in place, which can make them very attractive to employers wanting to support their staff but who are equally struggling with a challenging economic climate. Currently, only 4-6% of employees use an EAP, when in reality, the need is far greater with 40% of workplace absences currently due to mental health issues. (Dr Philip McCrea, Chief Medical Officer BHSF)
As noted in our previous article on Income Protection Insurance, the trend highlighted above is reflected in the Global Data report, “UK Income Protection Insurance Market to 2025”, where mental illness-related claims accounted for the largest proportion of paid income protection claims value in 2020, at 32.4%.
There can be no doubt, mental health as a cause of workplace absence is on the rise.
