Bupa has become official healthcare partner of ParalympicsGB.
The three-year partnership will see Bupa provide British paralympians with healthcare ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and beyond.
Athletes will be provided with medical expertise aimed at enabling athletes to reach the peak of their performance as they look to build on the 124 medal haul across 18 different sports which contributed to a second place medal table finish at Tokyo 2020.
Bupa will support paralympic athletes across the whole range of sports preparing for Paris 2024.
The partnership includes practical health assessments designed to give a full overview of health and wellbeing to prevent and address concerns, as well as physical and mental health services.
The partnership also sees Bupa and ParalympicsGB collaborate to challenge perceptions around disability in society and to celebrate difference and diversity in a bid to help everyone achieve their goals, while also promoting inclusivity in business, healthcare and other areas of life.
The agreement was launched at Bupa’s offices in Salford, Manchester, today (6 July), by Bupa Global & UK CEO Carlos Jaureguizar, (pictured) alongside Mike Sharrock, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, and Aaron Phipps MBE, a gold medal-winning wheelchair rugby player.
Phipps said: “Throughout my life and sporting career I’ve worked to challenge perceptions around disability so it’s great to see Bupa and ParalympicsGB partnering to bring this to the forefront of our society.
“There shouldn’t be any barriers to anyone reaching their full potential in life and the more we can spread that message, the more we can achieve together.
“To compete at an elite level it’s vital that we have access to the highest quality medical advice and support. Being able to utilise the UK’s top clinicians and services through Bupa has the potential to give us all a real competitive edge.”
Jaureguizar said: “Paralympians show us that there’s nothing you can’t do when you put your mind to it. It’s this determination that inspires us in our mission to change the face of healthcare.
“Working with ParalympicsGB gives us the unique opportunity to understand the needs of more people in society, ultimately reflecting the diverse needs of our customers. It’s important to celebrate our diversity and each of our differences, in order to make a tangible shift in perceptions of disability in our society. Together, we want to inspire the next generation to believe that anything is possible.”
Sharrock added: “For everyone, whether you’re an athlete or not, looking after your health and wellbeing is crucial and I am delighted this partnership will give ParalympicsGB athletes access to an array of additional support for their mental and physical wellbeing.
“We’re proud to be partnering with Bupa, and it’s clear based on their experience of working with Paralympic athletes and organisations around the world that they will be just as keen as we are at ParalympicsGB to make this a truly meaningful partnership, driving the change we want to see in perceptions of disability.”