April 2017 – IHC news round up

Bupa reports strong 2016 financial performance in challenging market

In its 2016 full year financial results, published in March 2017, Bupa has reported a solid financial performance in what has been a challenging market, with the overall group achieving a growth in revenue of 4%.

Looking ahead, Bupa reports that it expects market conditions to remain challenging in its key markets with changing political environments, particularly in the UK as it prepares to exit the European Union.

Patrick Watt, corporate director of Bupa UK, said: “Demand for quality, value-for-money healthcare will remain strong for years to come, however governments and consumers face funding pressures and medical costs are outpacing inflation. In addition, there are new customer standards of personalisation, ease and choice as well as high expectations of quality, safety, privacy and transparency. We are focused on delivering strong and sustainable performance, with an emphasis on providing high quality service for our customers in this digital age.”

The results confirm that in the UK, all of Bupa’s businesses delivered good performance, despite ongoing challenges in the market. Removing the impact of the sale of Bupa Home Healthcare, revenue is up 5%.

“We are committed to our digital transformation and are innovating to give our customers access to the best care, with initiatives such as our pioneering breast and bowel cancer self-referral service providing our customers faster access to diagnosis without the need for a GP referral. Our intermediary partners are also seeing the benefits of Bupa Connect, our user-friendly online portal, which allows them to manage their clients more effectively,” he added.

To see the results in full, go to bupa.com.

New reports reveals health issues facing UK families today

A report recently published by Aviva aims to raise awareness of the key health issues facing families today. The Health Check UK Report investigates health habits among UK families, from snacking and dinner table trends, to family activities and wider attitudes to health.

“Improving our understanding of family habits is essential if we are to plan for the future. With more than half of UK adults currently classed as overweight, the habits formed within the family environment can have a significant impact on the long term health of the UK,” said Mark Noble, CEO Global Health at Aviva.

Key findings from the report include:

• More than one-third of children (37%) eat at least one portion of chocolate or crisps daily.
• Parents use TV screen time (54%) or unhealthy snacks (49%) to reward or motivate their children.
• Watching TV is the most common way families spend time together (42%).
• 9% of children are considered overweight by their parents, compared to official NHS figures indicating 31% of children are overweight, highlighting an obesity awareness gap.
• Nearly one-third (31%) of parents think they could do more to keep the family healthy.
• Time (24%) and money (21%) are the biggest barriers to improving family health.
• Taking action to sleep better is seen as more important to improve family health than reducing sugar or healthier eating.
• Less than half of parents (41%) and grandparents (33%) are meeting recommended exercise levels.

“Many families are already setting goals to improve their wellbeing, from exercising more and reducing sugar intake to getting a better night’s sleep. Advances in digital technology means tracking personal health is easier than ever before. Technology is one of the many ways families can take control of their own health and wellbeing. Even small changes – like walking to work or school or swapping sugary snacks for healthier alternatives – can make all the difference and help to create a happier and healthier future,” said Dr. Doug Wright, Medical Director, UK Health at Aviva.

To read the Aviva report in full, head over to aviva.co.uk.

The future of workplace health assessments

As more companies are recognising the importance of investing in the wellbeing and resilience of their employees, a London based health tech start-up is engaging with employers and their people and delivering lasting health outcomes.

LiveSmart combines health assessments which involve a convenient blood screening service and personalised health coaching to proactively improve personal health. The team has recently raised substantial development capital funding which will enable the business to further enhance the health assessment service it offers and build partnerships with leading intermediaries, including IHC.

“We empower employees to regularly monitor their internal health, allowing them to understand inherent risks and the impact of exercise levels, nutrition and lifestyle choices over time; identifying potential issues before they become problems. Coaching is used in-between health assessments to support employees to make incremental changes leading to long-term health outcomes,” explained LiveSmart CEO and founder, Alex Heaton.

LiveSmart is only available through a select group of intermediaries, including IHC. Contact Chris Trevorah tel 020 7353 4099 ctrevorah@ihc.co.uk to find out how you can incorporate their innovative health assessments into your health and wellbeing strategy.