WPA LifeStage Health: Women’s Health (Protection Review: Gold, Adviser score 6)
WPA’s new LifeStage Health corporate healthcare product enables employers to facilitate access to expert healthcare to support women throughout the events that happen naturally and predictably during the course of their lives. Raising awareness and knowledge gives personalised insights to increase wellbeing and helps prevent those conditions that are avoidable. It recognises that for some, these different life stages can lead to physical and mental challenges that impact their wellbeing, their families and their careers.
The plan recognises three particular life stages in women’s lives:
Managing periods and fertility preparation.
The reproductive years.
Menopause support.
Pathway benefits up to an overall combined total benefit limit of £750 are provided covering:
Consultation.
Mammogram.
Smear test.
Bone density scan.
Blood tests.
Cholesterol/blood pressure check.
Pregnancy package.
Antenatal foetal testing, antenatal classes, post-natal care e.g. breast feeding, post baby wellbeing.
X-ray.
Sexual health test.
Hysteroscopy.
Remote benefits include:
Remote GP Services 24/7.
Musculoskeletal pathway: four sessions.
Health and Wellbeing Helpline 24/7.
Health Coach App 24/7.
Comment: WPA says that 63% of women said their working life had been negatively affected by their menstrual symptoms and that 1 in 10 women live with endometriosis, and 4 in 10 women with endometriosis fear losing their job because of it, and over a third say they earn less because of it.
It adds that menopausal women are now the fastest growing workforce demographic. Almost 8 out of 10 menopausal women are in work, 3 out of 4 women experience symptoms, and 1 in 4 could experience serious symptoms leading them to consider leaving work.
Despite those stats, women-only benefits are rarely fully offered by employers or indeed by health insurers and indeed the underlying needs are rarely recognised. WPA’s solution is to offer benefits that recognise women’s particular needs and to work with employers to provide support and guidance on the appropriate benefits and annual limits to suit the company’s needs. That means the benefits available are wide but, importantly, can be tailored to the need rather than operating as a tickbox benefits list.
Importantly too, the benefits can be offered to an entire workforce and their families and are designed to complement both the NHS and private medical insurance.
Plus points: A range of benefits to meet women’s particular health needs; Flexibility rather than tickbox benefits; Recognises women’s different life stages; Complements NHS and health insurance benefits.
Not so plus points: Men excluded!; Some additional cost involved; Limited benefits .
Website: http://www.wpa.org.uk.
Rating (max 10): Overall: 8. Gold
Tags: Other; WPA
I Mark: No