Punter Southall Post Hospital Service
Punter Southall is now one of the largest health and protection advisers in the UK and this new plan is designed to help employees of its clients once they leave hospital after treatment. The plan is underwritten by Astrenska Insurance and administered by Collinson Insurance Services.
The plan includes two key elements:
Personal homecare and assistance. This is delivered by Intana, which is part of Collinson’s. The first element is personal care assistance in the patient’s home. This can include help with bathing and toileting, getting dressed/undressed, hair care, teeth cleaning, personal hygiene and help with general health needs and taking medication. The second element is personal homecare and assistance during the 14 days after being discharged from hospital. This can include assistance with cleaning and light household duties, laundry, ironing, food and prescription shopping, preparing meals and feeding assistance. The items listed are examples rather than a complete, definitive list.
Practical advice and emotional support from RedArc nurses for an unlimited period. The nurse effectively acts as a health coach and expert friend, helping the patient develop a ‘get well, stay well’ plan and supporting them to stay on track. Information and medical advice is included too.
The plan is available in three differently priced versions:
The Main version costs (including IPT) £10 per member per year (pmpa) and provides up to two hours care a day for up to 14 days.
The Enhanced version costs £11.25pmpa but provides up to three hours care a day.
The Essential version costs £9.15pmpa and provides up to two hours’ care a day. Unlike the other two versions, the patient must have been in hospital for a minimum of 72 rather than 48 hours to qualify for help.
The benefits can be accessed after any UK hospital stay - including mental health but excluding pregnancy. Partners/spouses can also be covered (but not children) at the same cost. Punter Southall says it believes the plan is a P11D benefit if sold as an adjunct to PMI but if sold standalone escapes a P11D charge as it is a ‘de minimis’ benefit (but as with similar benefits, this is at the discretion of the employer’s tax office).
Employers can choose a rostered or non-rostered scheme. If non-rostered, just a declaration of eligibility and the numbers on a normal opening and closing basis are needed for the employer to receive its certificate and policy schedule. If rostered, an Excel spreadsheet of members is also needed.
Comment: A lot of people leaving hospital after treatment are left to their own devices on discharge. That can work well if there is a supportive family around, but even then such help can be difficult (it may involve a partner taking time off work), can be unfocused and may not need the patient’s needs.
This plan covers that situation, both by providing practical ‘on the ground’ help and by additional support through the RedArc service.
Is it needed? Well, the basic plan costs just £10 a year per member, and you can’t buy a lot of care for that. Indeed, even if an employer did, the cost of the care given is likely to be a P11D benefit, and that could be costly for the employee as well as for the employer.
Both medically and from an employee efficiency standpoint, getting workers not just mended but also ready and able to resume work makes a lot of sense. For not a lot of money, just a handful of claims even for a big employer can more than cover the cost of providing this plan.
Plus points: Practical help on the ground and over the phone; Delivered by experts (which may be a lot better than from a well-meaning partner!); Inexpensive; Simple options; Choice of plan versions; Covers NHS and private hospitals.
Not so plus points: Does not cover very short (less than two days) hospital admission or outpatient or A&E treatment; P11D benefit if provided with PMI.
Website: http://www.phsp.co.uk.
Rating (max 10): Innovation: 9. Overall: 9. Platinum
Tags: Other; Punter Southall