Medicash, the Liverpool-based cash plan provider which has over 300,000 health cover policyholders across the UK, celebrates its 150th anniversary today.
The organisation, which was awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool in 2018 for its longstanding commitment to charitable giving and its contribution to the nation’s healthcare, first came into existence in 1871 when the first Hospital Sunday collection was held in Liverpool, collecting £4,685 to support the local voluntary hospitals which were in desperate need of support and funding.
Since then, Medicash has been known by many names over its 150-year history including The Penny in the Pound Fund and Merseyside Health Benefits Council, before changing its name to Medicash as it expanded its regional focus to a national one.
Medicash chief executive Sue Weir said this week that this year’s anniversary celebrations would see the provider refresh its brand image “to reflect the wider health and wellbeing remit of its services as it continues to invest in the technology-based features of its products”.
It would also be looking to build on its history of charitable giving, Weir said, adding that pver the last five years Medicash has donated over £1.5m to charity, including over £500,000 last year.
Weir said: “Medicash has been committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of individuals since its foundation in 1871. We are proud to work with organisations from across the UK to support and improve the health of their employees and look forward to doing so for many decades and even centuries to come.
“Marking 150 years in business is no mean feat and I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all the team at Medicash, both current and past, who have made this possible. Our anniversary year will provide a great opportunity for us to reflect and celebrate our past, at the same time as looking forward to driving the next innovations on our journey. Over the course of the year, we will be marking our anniversary with a series of events and initiatives which we look forward to sharing.”