Mental Health Affecting Engineering Professionals : International healthcare group Bupa has launched âBusiness Mental Health Advantageâ, the most extensive mental health cover available in the UK. With almost a quarter (28%) of firms in the construction industry reporting that mental health is a bigger issue among employees than physical illness, it has become a boardroom priority for over two thirds (68%) of those firms.
Bupa has seen the number of employees claiming for mental health treatment double over the last decade; therefore this research was extremely necessary. On a national scale, more than two in five (41%) businesses in the UK have seen an increase in episodes of mental health compared to five years ago.
The majority of employers in the construction sector, including engineering, want to help their employees, but 70% of them do not know what the best support they can offer is. Nearly four in 10 (38%) admit that awareness and understanding of mental health issues is still quite low across their organisation.
Mental Health Advantage provides cover for all mental health conditions, with the exception of dementia and learning or behavioural development problems.It includes depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety, as well as those that are typically excluded by insurers, such as alcohol and drug abuse. The removal of time limits on treatment for mental health conditions also offers businesses and their employees with peace of mind that individuals can seek help if their condition returns. The cover will also provide ongoing support for the monitoring and maintenance of diagnosed mental health conditions, to help employees manage their condition and prevent worsening symptoms.
Mental health is one of the biggest people issues that businesses face today â big, small and across different sectors. The good news is that we know how much businesses take it seriously; the overwhelming majority wants to support their people, said Alex Perry, CEO at Bupa Insurance UK.
Our new Mental Health Advantage cover will now enable business leaders to provide better support for their colleagues – offering businesses ease of access and the confidence that their people can access the right support and care when they need it.
The key features includes in the new policy are: extending the mental health conditions covered, removal of the time limits on treatment for mental health condition and ongoing support. For more information in Bupaâs Business Mental Health Advantage visit: https://www.bupa.co.uk/business-mental-health-advantage.
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