Half of firms are reliant on the NHS to support at least some of their workforce should they require treatment, according to research conducted by Partners&.
The survey of senior HR and finance experts revealed that just 15% of employers provided all workers with access to private healthcare treatments.
Half (50%) of the employers questioned were reliant on the NHS to support at least some (35%) or most (15%) of their workforce should employees require medical treatment.
A further 20% of employers were seemingly unworried about the impact of NHS waiting lists this winter given that their organisation had previously experienced very low sickness absence rates.
Steve Herbert, wellbeing and benefits director at Partners&, (pictured) said: “The NHS performed heroically throughout the pandemic, but the sad truth is that the service was already stretched even prior to Covid-19’s arrival.
“It follows that – for the moment at least – the NHS is struggling to return to acceptable levels of service. This is clearly worrying for any employee that may be in need of medical treatment in the winter ahead.”
Partners& warned this could lead to employees being absent for weeks or months while they await treatment, meaning that employers may well be facing a further headwind to their efficiency and productivity numbers.
The same research also revealed that 41% of employers were leaving their employees to be reliant on local GP surgeries to access NHS services.
“If the waiting lists were not worry enough, there are increasing reports of people being unable to secure appointments with their family doctor quickly and at a convenient time,” Herbert continued.
“This adds yet another barrier to even reaching those NHS waiting lists, lengthening the time from initial symptoms to diagnosis and then corrective treatment.
“The reality is that every day lost to illness damages the employer’s productivity further. This is the very last thing employers – or indeed the wider United Kingdom – needs as we face the Bank of England’s predicted two-year recession.”
As a result of the findings, Partners& recommended employers promote any private healthcare options they have in place to ensure usage, and pointed to its survey which found that just 2% of employers regularly reminded employees of remote GP services on offer.
“We would encourage employers to revisit their benefits offering to check that they are not overlooking options that would help employees bypass the dual challenges of GP appointments and those NHS waiting lists,” Herbert added.
“Many employers will be pleasantly surprised to find that their existing employee benefits package might already include elements such as remote GP services, and others can implement a new scheme for a very modest cost.”