More employees are going to start looking to their employers for workplace benefits and help with health costs, predicts Newport-based health plan provider Plutus Health.

With the inevitable introduction of NHS costs on the horizon, pressure may be put on employers to take more of an active role in their staff’s health and wellbeing, say Plutus Health.

The predictions follow the results of Plutus Health’s ‘Wellbeing of the Nation’ survey, designed to understand the future of the health market and how this could affect employers across Wales.

The survey asked 1,000 respondents from Newport and across South Wales what they believe the NHS will start charging patients for in the future; 77 per cent believed missed appointments are soon to incur a cost, and a third thought hospital food will become a paid for service.

Just under half of respondents (45 per cent) think Wales’ privilege to free prescriptions will soon end and a charge implemented.

With £22bn in efficiency savings to make, these survey respondents believe it is inevitable that the NHS will start charging for services in the future. The rising pressure on the NHS could mean it will become impossible to avoid charges, for all but the most basic of services.

Because of this Plutus Health, whose origins in Newport date back 176 years, suggest that employees will ultimately look to their employer to help with rising health costs as part of their overall wellbeing and employee benefits package.

Additional findings from the Plutus Health survey suggested that for nearly a quarter of people living in Newport, potential charges for treatments on the NHS would act as a ‘big worry’ to them, with a fifth of survey respondents stating that this would directly affect their health.

Furthermore the survey asked people across Newport what they think the NHS should charge for, with 62 per cent stating that alcohol and drug related treatments should incur a cost. Further results showed that 57 per cent of respondents believe patients should pay for smoking related treatments on the NHS, and 48 per cent for obesity.

Plutus Health is a health plan provider for individuals, families and corporate customers.

Andy Wilkins, chief executive of Plutus Health, said: “While our new government has promised to invest billions into the NHS in the next five years, equally the NHS has billions of pounds worth of savings and cut backs to make in order to future proof itself. With this in mind it is looking increasingly unavoidable that an already overburdened NHS will have to start charging for treatments.

“The responsibility of employers to protect the health and wellbeing of its employees could increase should NHS charges arise. Looking after your workforce is fundamental to a successful business, and therefore corporate health plans may become a popular solution for employers. Health plans have many positive benefits for employers such as encouraging loyalty in the workforce and lessening absenteeism. Ultimately they safeguard the health and wellbeing of the workforce.”

Plutus Health works with a wide variety of South Wales-based businesses including Tata Steel, Seren Group, Meritor, Newport City Council, Torfaen County Borough Council and the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, offering health plan benefits for their employees. The company also provides health plans to thousands of individual customers.