Over the years, the NHS has faced challenges across many of their key services, creating significant strain on our national healthcare system. Understanding these pressures is crucial for employers looking to support their workforce's health and wellbeing.
Mounting challenges in healthcare
As pressure builds across various medical services offered through the NHS, including dental, GP, and hospital care, UK residents are feeling the impact of growing demand and limited resources.
While Covid-19 has played a part in this, the problems were building long before the pandemic struck. Our beloved health service has faced years of inadequate planning and under resourcing,[1] leading to record numbers of appointments, overcrowded hospitals, staff shortages and longer waiting lists for GP appointments. There are also significant concerns surrounding NHS dental care.
Dental care in crisis
Did you know that as of October 2024, 97% of new patients were unable to access NHS dental care?[2]This has forced many to seek alternative solutions or delay essential treatments.
Recent data reveals that:
- 30,000 children and over 70,000 adults were admitted to A&E with tooth decay between April 2022 and May 2023.[3]
- 28% of UK employees have taken time off work due to dental pain, equating to 23 million sick days.[4]
- 40% of children no longer have regular dental appointments.[5]
Broader healthcare pressures
When the NHS is under such strain, it affects every one of us. As of December 2024, the waiting list for NHS treatments stood at 7.43 million cases, with nearly 200,000 waiting over a year. The median waiting time for treatment stood at 14.4 weeks, a rise from pre-COVID figures of 8.4 weeks. Not only that but cancer targets continue to be missed, patients are waiting longer for emergency care and GPs are finding it harder to make referrals due to the lack of capacity in secondary care.[6]
The hidden cost of delayed healthcare
These pressures don't just impact individual health, they also have significant implications on UK workplaces. As employees wait longer for treatment, their overall health will likely be diminished, making them less productive and more likely to be absent from work. It can also increase recovery time. Even with those factors aside, the stress alone of waiting for important treatment can make it impossible to focus on their day-to-day and can have a significant impact on an employee’s mental wellbeing.
How employers can make a difference
Employers can play a crucial role in supporting the health of their employees by offering comprehensive health benefits that serves to complement existing NHS services. This is often offered in the form of private group health insurance, which can be tailored to meet both the needs of your business and the needs of your employees.
About private group health insurance
Towergate Employee Benefits offers tailored health insurance packages that include:
- Faster access to medical
- Virtual GP consultations
- Choice of hospitals and specialists
- Cover specialist treatments and preventive care
- Private rooms and comfortable surroundings
- Mental health support
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
- Optional dental cover
Flexible benefit options
Our range of health benefits includes:
- Dental insurance plans covering check-ups and treatments
- Health cash plans for routine medical expenses
- Private Medical Insurance with oral health coverage
- Flexible benefit schemes allowing personalised healthcare choices
Why choose Towergate Employee Benefits?
With 22 years’ experience and more than 15,000 clients, we are one of the UK’s largest independent employee benefits advisors, we specialise in creating tailored health and wellbeing solutions that support both businesses and their employees, helping to foster a healthier, more productive workplace.
We help employers create a healthier, more productive workplace by ensuring employees and their families have support when they need it, helping you to attract, retain and engage the very best talent. We understand that every workforce is unique so our team will work closely with you to design tailored health benefit packages to support your business.
Get in touch with our friendly team today to see how we can support your business and employees.
0800 389 7723 (Monday to Friday)
Sources:
[1] https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/an-nhs-under-pressure
[2] https://www.bda.org/media-centre/dentists-97-of-new-patients-unable-to-access-nhs-care/
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/30/pliers-abscesses-and-agonising-pain-britains-dental-crisis-as-seen-from-ae
[4] https://dentistry.co.uk/2023/09/22/twenty-three-million-sick-days-lost-to-dental-pain-new-figures-show/
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/30/pliers-abscesses-and-agonising-pain-britains-dental-crisis-as-seen-from-ae
[6] https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-backlog-data-analysis
