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Too many employees are failing to eat healthily and take exercise, leading to poor productivity and potential increases in absence.
Research published today suggests almost a third of workers find they do not have time for a proper lunch break and instead eat lunch at their desks, while working.
 The research, carried out on behalf of Canada Life, shows that over a quarter (27%) of employees find they tend to eat at “odd times” due to the stresses of work and, additionally, one in five (21%) say they plan to eat a healthy lunch but end up skipping it, turning to sugary snacks when they are bored or feel under pressure.
Eight per cent of over 900 people surveyed for Canada Life show that say they tend to eat more junk food at work than at home and 13% blame their weight gain on the food culture and stresses at work.
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More than eight in ten GPs believe that there will be greater rationing of care in the NHS as a result of the financial challenges facing the health service.
Research published this week suggests that 85% of family doctors believe that the government will have to set out more clearly what care is – and is not – freely available on the NHS in England.
A survey of 821 English GPs carried out by the Nuffield Trust, an independent health think tank, and doctors.net.uk found that only half of GPs believe that the NHS will be able to improve efficiency enough over the next five years to avoid having to scale back on the services that are currently funded.
 NHS Rationing In addition, the vast majority of GPs (83%) believe handing responsibility to local clinical commissioning groups for setting priorities for spending NHS funds will be likely to lead to greater variations in what services are provided to patients throughout England.
The findings are released alongside a report published by the Nuffield Trust, which examines the feasibility as well as advantages and disadvantages of setting out explicitly the care patients are entitled to.
Among the recommendations outlined in the report is the suggestion that a national list of the treatments that public money should not be spent on in the NHS is produced.
Dr Judith Smith, head of policy at the Nuffield Trust, said the current system for defining what is and is not paid for by the NHS is “far from ideal”.
She said: “Many people believe it is opaque and that your postcode can determine whether or not you get access to certain treatments.”
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People over the age of 50 are being urged not to cut back on protection and health cover as the squeeze on UK family finances tightens.
Results of a survey of 2,000 home-owners with at least one child, published today, suggests that turning 50 marks the most expensive period in our lives.
Experts behind the research said that people in their 50s can still expect to be lumbered with hefty mortgage payments while also trying to support teenage children.
Increased costs of holidaying as four adults, rather than a family with two children, coupled with helping children with motoring costs as well as a house deposit all mounts up.
 Dont forget your health The study, carried out for health & wellbeing mutual organisation Benenden Healthcare Society shows that
the average 50-something needs £1,560 a month to keep the family’s head above water.
Marc Bell, marketing & business strategy director at Benenden, said that while being in your 50s can be the most expensive time of life, not having safeguards such as life cover could end up leaving loved ones to pick up the pieces and to try and deal with huge financial burdens.
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Around a third of the British population would rely on company sick pay if they found themselves unable to work through illness, although a similar number admits to not knowing how long their employer would pay them for.
 Worried about who would pay ? Research carried out for Friends Life and published this week also shows that while 13% of the population claim they would rely on family or friends for financial support if they were too ill to work, far more – 64% – say they would not be able to afford to help others who came to them for money in the same circumstances.
Two thirds (67%) of Brits lose sleep over their future health according to the survey, but 49% do not prioritise protecting themselves against the financial consequences of ill health.
Steve Casey, head of marketing and intermediary proposition development at Friends Life, said that many people are apparently relying on contingency plans to pay the bills if they are too ill to work “without knowing if they are watertight”.
“In these tough times it is vital that people ensure they have adequate protection in place, and that means making sure that the right things are being prioritised,” he added.
The research also shows that while 9% of people would automatically take out mobile phone insurance and 14% pet insurance, just 6% would take income protection insurance and 10% critical illness cover.
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Cabinet ministers are to discuss tough new curbs designed to slash the number of whiplash injury claims.
Transport Secretary Justine Greening is proposing to ban claims involving very low speeds, introduce rigorous medical checks and target “ambulance-chasing lawyers” who are making millions of pounds.
It is hoped that the proposals will help to curb escalating car insurance premiums which come about as a result of increased whiplash claims.
Greening will meet Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, Home Secretary Theresa May and Business Secretary Vince Cable to discuss the situation.
Prime Minister David Cameron will later convene a wider review on the issue.
Britain has much higher rates of whiplash claims than anywhere else in Europe, driving higher insurance premiums. In January the Transport Select Committee called for a higher threshold before payouts for whiplash are made.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Greening said: “There is no getting away from it: the cost of car insurance is bearing increasingly little relationship to the real world where motorists act more responsibly than ever and accidents really do happen less often.
“With this in mind, it would be reasonable to expect premiums to come down or at least hold steady. But the cost of cover continues on a relentless climb. Sadly, Britain is now the whiplash capital of Europe, with more than 1,500 claims a day.
“From texting and cold-calling drivers involved in accidents, to running high profile advertising campaigns, lawyers are encouraging people to claim for whiplash injuries sustained in the most minor of incidents – which barely damage the car’s paintwork, never mind its driver.
“As Transport Secretary I believe it is time to confront these issues and I’m determined to take a serious look at what can be done. Premiums are not simply the price of an insurance policy, they are a contract of mutual responsibility and insurers must live up to their side of the bargain. It is time for them to get a grip and put their houses in order.”
Nick Starling, director of general insurance at the Association of British Insurers, said honest motorists have rightly “had enough” of paying for “ambulance-chasing lawyers, claims management companies and fraudsters who milk the compensation merry-go-round through higher premiums”.
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Women are being urged to attend tests to assess the risk of cervical cancer, as figures emerged this week suggesting that almost a third of the female population have never been for any type of health screening.
Almost a third (29%) of more than 1,000 women surveyed for Bupa by Ipsos MORI say they have never been for any type of health screening. Bupa, which released the figures to mark Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, said that this suggests that many women are foregoing tests which could prove vital in detecting abnormal, pre-cancerous cells which may lead to cervical cancer.
At present, women between the ages of 25 and 64 are eligible for a free cervical screening test, paid for by the NHS, every three to five years. Meanwhile, a cervical smear test is also one of the tests included in Bupa’s female health assessment.
While around 2,900 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, deaths from the disease having fallen over the last 25 years, precisely because of large numbers of women undergoing cervical screenings, Bupa said.
However, the provider warned that many women are put off going for a screening owing to a lack of information on what it involves and anxiety about dealing with abnormal results. Dr Katrina Herren, medical director, Bupa Health and Wellbeing, said early detection of pre-cancerous cells is “vitally important” in preventing cervical cancer.
Last year, a survey for Jo’s Trust, a charity, suggested that young women are missing the potentially life-saving cancer test because they find it difficult to take time off work.
Almost a third (32%) of women have missed or delayed a cervical screening appointment, according to the poll of 2,467 women. More than a third of those eligible for cervical cancer screening who work and have missed or delayed appointments said that they did not find it easy to leave work in order to attend the appointment. More than a quarter (26%) said they would be more encouraged to attend if their company was more flexible and they did not have to take holiday for an appointment. More than a third (35%) said that if their GP surgery opening times had been more flexible it would have encouraged them or even ensured they attended those appointments.
Almost one in three (30%) of women aged 25-34 that have missed or delayed appointments and work said they always book holiday to attend appointments because they are too embarrassed to talk to their employers.
Meanwhile, a report released towards the end of last year by the US-based think tank the Commonwealth Fund suggested that five-year survival rates for cervical cancer is lower in the UK than in developed countries and that care varies across the country.
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Arrangement could help to settle disputes over financial responsibility
A national insurance scheme could be introduced to protect consumers in the wake of the breast implant scandal.
NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh told the BBC that the introduction of a scheme similar to the Abta (Association of British Travel Agents) arrangement is currently under consideration.
Around 40,000 women in the UK received implants manufactured by French company Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP), which were filled with non-medical grade silicone, resulting in a dispute over who should pay to have potential problems fixed.
Sir Bruce, who is leading a government review into the risks from faulty breast implants, said an Abta-style insurance model “captured the flavour of where we want to go”.
Under the Abta arrangement, companies pay a subscription to become members of the scheme, which provides a fund for people to fall back on if something goes wrong.
He told BBC Radio 4′s The Report: “One of the things that my review will be looking at will be something rather like the Abta arrangement that travel agents have, which means that if an organisation runs into trouble the consumer is covered.”
There is no clear evidence PIP implants cause harm but the Government has said patients who had their surgery on the NHS will be able to have the implants removed and replaced free of charge. For patients who had the procedure done privately, the NHS has also agreed to pay to remove, but not replace, implants if their clinic refuses to do so or no longer exists.
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AXA PPP healthcare have followed Aviva UK Health’s lead by removing limits on its cancer cover.
The moves come in the wake of changes made last year by Bupa, the largest private medical insurance (PMI) provider in the UK, which announced that it would no longer sell corporate health insurance schemes which feature overall cost or time limits for cancer treatment.
Here we present a comparison of the policies now offered by the AXA PPP and Aviva UK Health, the second and third biggest PMI providers respectively.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Both providers offer full cover for these treatments, commonly prescribed for patients.
Targeted drug therapy
Both providers offer full cover for targeted drug therapy, a rapidly growing field of medicine including drugs such as Herceptin and Avastin. The NHS does not always fund these drugs. Both providers previously put time limits on such treatments.
Side effects and sickness drugs
Cancer treatment can result in side effects including nausea. Both providers cover treatments prescribed to counter such effects in full.
Bisphosphonates and bone scans
Bisphosphonates are drugs that can help to protect a patient’s bones against some of the effects of cancer, such as pain and weakness. They may also be used to reduce a raised calcium level in the blood. Both providers will cover drugs and scans in full. Aviva UK Health will cover them for as long as the specialist says they are needed, regardless of the stage of the treatment. Private Healthcare Bureau has previously highlighted this as an area of cancer treatment not routinely covered by insurers.
Hormone treatments used to manage cancer
Hormone treatments are prescribed to alter the production or activity of particular hormones in the body and are most commonly used to treat breast and prostate cancer. AXA PPP healthcare will cover the cost of injectable hormone treatments used to manage cancer while the patient is undergoing eligible chemotherapy for cancer. Aviva will cover hormone therapy if it is required to shrink a tumour before surgery or radiotherapy.
Outpatient consultations and tests
In addition to inpatient care, cancer patients may need to have consultations and tests such as blood tests in an outpatient setting. AXA PPP healthcare previously did not cover this on all its policies, but all limits on out-patient diagnostic tests and consultations when directly related to cancer treatment have now been removed. Aviva UK Health will cover them in full if the policy includes full out-patient cover. However, even if the member has chosen a reduced out-patient option, it will still cover consultations and tests in full while he or she is having chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Stem cell and bone marrow transplants
A stem cell transplant may enable a cancer patient to undergo a much higher dose of chemotherapy than usual which can help to improve the chances of curing some types of cancer, leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma, or of prolonging a remission. Both AXA PPP healthcare and Aviva UK Health will cover this in full.
Unlicensed treatments
Generally, doctors prescribe treatments that have been licensed for use in the UK. However, not all cancer treatments have a license, particularly those used for rare cancers. Doctors may also wish to try a drug outside the use of its license (for example, to treat a rare cancer rather than a more common cancer for which the drug is licensed). Aviva UK Health has said that it will fund unlicensed treatments provided that sufficient information is made available to its decision makers while AXA PPP healthcare will fund them if they are prescribed as part of an ethical clinical trial, subject to approval by the insurer beforehand.
Prostheses
Following surgery to remove cancer, patients may use a prosthesis such as a breast prosthesis. Both AXA PPP healthcare and Aviva UK Health will pay up to £5,000 towards the cost of this.
Wigs
A side effect of some cancer treatment is hair loss. Both AXA PPP healthcare and Aviva UK Health will pay £100 towards the cost of a wig.
End of life care
 Aviva UK Health will now fund every stage of cancer treatment, including palliative care, for as long as it is recommended by the specialist. AXA PPP healthcare says that it will now fund chemotherapy and/or biological drug treatment given to prevent a recurrence of a cancer or for maintenance of remission (previously excluded) and treatment to relieve pain. It will also pay up to £100 per night towards hospice care. Aviva UK Health will pay up to £100 per day up to £10,000.
Monitoring
Once cancer care is complete, patients will return to their specialist for regular check-ups to monitor their health. AXA PPP healthcare has removed all limits and will cover this monitoring for as long as required while Aviva UK Health has extended its cover from five to 10 years.
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Employee time off work may have doubled since the introduction of the fit note, the replacement system for the traditional sick note introduced in 2010, according to the UK’s largest absence management specialist.
A study carried out by FirstCare suggests that workers who went to their GP for a fit note were absent from work for 48 days on average, compared to 20 days for those who did not apply for one.
FirstCare said it has carried out an analysis of 22,086 employee records which found that the majority of GPs continue to sign off employees sick for lengthy periods of time. The fit note had been introduced in order to enable doctors to say what an employee is well enough to perform, as opposed to simply saying whether they can be at work or not at all.
James Arquette, a director at FirstCare, said the system “causes employees to be off work for longer without reducing the likelihood of repeated absence”.
FirstCare’s analysis chimes with findings from a survey carried out last year by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Simplyhealth which suggested that just 11% of business said the fit note had cut absence. The CIPD/Simplyhealth survey of 592 organisations also found that just under a third (31%) agreed that the fit note helps line managers to manage absence more effectively.
Have a chat to Private Healthcare Bureau about ways of managing your staff absence
British businesses may need to work harder to ensure that the employee benefits they offer are both relevant and properly communicated over the next twelve months, as staff dissatisfaction with pay and bonuses soared in 2011.
Figures published today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD) suggest that the majority of employees felt poorly rewarded last year as companies tightened their purse strings amid the economic downturn.
The CIPD’s annual Employee Attitudes to Pay survey suggests that 48% of staff saw their pay frozen during 2011, while 5% actually saw their pay cut. Just 18% received a cash bonus.
The main explanations given by employees for dissatisfaction with their employer’s pay decisions are: it did not keep pace with the increases in the cost of living (up from 53% in 2010 to 63% in 2011); it did not reflect how well I performed at work (22%); and my pay is below what I could get elsewhere for doing the same job (18%).
Even satisfaction levels among those who did receive a pay rise in 2011 dipped compared to the year before, although only slightly. The main explanation given by employees for being satisfied with their pay rise is that it reflected the state of the economy. Just 19% felt that their pay rise had reflected how well they worked.
The report also found that since 2008, the proportion of employees receiving a pay rise has fallen from 67% to 45% in 2011, down slightly on the 46% recorded in 2010.
By sector, 51% of private sector employees have had a pay rise since the start of 2011, 45% did likewise in the voluntary sector, but just 24% of those in the public sector have received an increase.
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The research, carried out on behalf of Canada Life, shows that over a quarter (27%) of employees find they tend to eat at “odd times” due to the stresses of work and, additionally, one in five (21%) say they plan to eat a healthy lunch but end up skipping it, turning to sugary snacks when they are bored or feel under pressure.
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