Shropshire Council is now offering workplace employee health screening through its new Preventive Health service.  The offering is part of an ambitious mission to create a culture of health and wellbeing for business owners and their employees, with prevention central to tackling health concerns in the county.

“Fifteen million people in England live with at least one long term condition, and much of this is preventable. That’s astonishing,” said Dr Kevin Lewis of Preventive Health. “There are significant health issues in the county that need addressing and employers can be part of the solution. That is why we have designed Preventive Health to be an affordable, non-disruptive workplace health screening service, using highly qualified health advisors and technology which encourages employers to hold workplace health screening events”

Employee health and wellbeing has become one of the key challenges to modern organisations, particularly because of rising benefit costs and lack of employee engagement in benefit programmes. With its comprehensive remodelling of workplace heath checks, Preventive Health will offer unprecedented convenience. The service has set a pricing policy which will make it the most competitive employee health check provider on the regional market. A charge of £50 per employee, per health check, has been set. Shropshire’s business owners, HR directors and office managers will be able to obtain a quote for company-wide health checks in seconds, just by visiting the Preventive Health website. For smaller companies without the necessary space for employee screening appointments, Preventive Health offers the option of a Mobile Clinic; a vehicle staffed by qualified health advisors and medical equipment. Marketing support – including email templates, posters and a co-branded employee portal – is provided to help organisations raise awareness of upcoming health checks. A self-booking system allows employees to choose and schedule their own appointments online.

Councillor Dean Carroll, Cabinet Member with responsibilities for Adult Social Care and Public Health said;

“We know that staff are our most important asset, so it makes sense for managers to do all they can to detect illness and promote health and wellbeing.  I am really excited about the new Preventive Health service and how it will play a vital role in supporting workforces in Shropshire to remain well.   It is estimated that the combined cost of sickness absence and health related lost productivity across the UK are estimated at over £100bn annually.  Not only will the new service help keep employees healthy and productive, but it arguably makes sound financial sense for businesses as well.”

Shropshire Council’s Director of Public Health Rachel Robinson added;

“One of our key priorities is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living and working in Shropshire.  We spend a large proportion of our time in work, so our jobs and our workplaces can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing. We all have a responsibility to invest in staff health and wellbeing and Shropshire’s new Preventive Health Service will help businesses achieve better outcomes from a workforce, and for people and communities.”

The Council has determined an ethos of transparency and simplicity for the new service. Preventive Health will be contract-free and admin-free, with no recurrent fees or hidden costs.

A Preventive Health employee health screening appointment takes no more than 20 minutes, and includes blood glucose and cholesterol checks; height, weight and waist measurement; Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation; Heart Age and a diabetes risk test. Employees get their results instantly and reports are   totally confidential. Importantly, employees are able to discuss their results there and then.

Arriva, the public transport provider, helped test the service. “The positivity and general buzz generated by the Preventive Health team’s work has been infectious, said Jamie Crowsley from Arriva. “The impact has been very real. A member of our team found out that they were type 2 diabetic. Without the Preventive Health check this employee would not be receiving the assistance required to manage and improve her wellbeing”

 To find further information about Preventive Health workplace health Checks, visit www.preventivehealth.org.uk