“Not only are we getting great data to help us plan our wellbeing interventions, but Bluecrest Wellness has actually saved lives. You really can’t ask for more than that.
The Coal Authority works to make a better future for people and the environment in mining areas. As a 24/7 emergency response organisation, they respond to public safety and subsidence incidents caused by historical coal mining to keep people and their properties safe.
As part of the Coal Authority’s work to enhance the environment, they operate over 80 mine water treatment schemes helping to protect rivers and vital drinking water supplies. They also use their expertise to support government departments and agencies to treat other types of water pollution from historical metal mines.
Bluecrest Wellness health assessments are part of a wide programme of wellness support that’s central to the organisation’s operations.
Keeping people fit and well
“Back in the day they used to be called medicals,” recalls Kevin Halpin-Rose, People and Organisational Development Business Partner at the Coal Authority, “and they’ve been a staple of the civil service for many years. Health assessments give people a picture of their health, and the opportunity to do something about it, and I would say they’re invaluable.
“It’s our job to fix things and make them better, and that has got to extend to our people, too. Clearly, keeping them fit and well is in our best interests as an organisation - but we actually genuinely care about our people, because they genuinely care about their work.
“Our employees are passionate about the communities they work for and want to help give something back and make a real difference. Those are the sort of employees that are worth looking after - and Bluecrest Wellness health assessments are the sort of benefit that helps us attract the right candidates.
“It’s also important that we deliver value for the tax payer and we have to be able to demonstrate the value we’re getting from any benefits we provide. We’re definitely getting that from Bluecrest. Not only are we getting great data to help us plan our wellbeing interventions, but Bluecrest Wellness has actually saved lives. You really can’t ask for more than that.
Saving lives
“Not one but two members of our staff got a red flag on their prostate test. Both had early stage prostate cancer that they wouldn’t have spotted without Bluecrest. One had already been back and forth to his GP and fobbed off, and his consultant told him that if he’d left it 6-12 months longer he probably wouldn’t be here. Both of them are now in remission.
“Another member of staff found out she’d been misdiagnosed for ten years and actually had a completely different condition. For others, it’s been the kick start they needed to make changes. A health-fanatic colleague discovered through Bluecrest they were seriously dehydrated - they’ve fixed the issue and feel better than they have done in years! Meanwhile someone else wasn’t happy with their BMI and MSK results, and decided to take part in our latest inter-team step challenge. They’ve tripled their daily steps and feel stronger, fitter and more alert.
“All of that means we’re seeing the impact of Bluecrest Wellness health assessments in real time.”
The Coal Authority has grown over 30 years to employ around 400 members of staff, with many based at the organisation’s offices in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. There are also regional employees all over the UK who project manage remediation work in the field, typically civil engineers or construction experts, scattered from Scotland to Wales to Cornwall.
“When we took our requirement for a modern medical out to tender we knew we needed something that would work for everyone in the company, and something that was truly national,” says Kevin. “There wouldn’t be any point in a benefit our regional employees had to travel hundreds of miles for. With Bluecrest Wellness there’s a clinic within 20 minutes of everyone’s work or home. That was perfect for us. And we made sure people could take time out of their working day to go and get their test done using our wellbeing code on their time sheets.
“We’ve been really impressed with the comprehensive content of the tests, the quality of the service in the clinics - and the responsiveness of the Bluecrest team. Our Account Manager is really helpful and really enthusiastic, and went down really well with the team when she ran the training webinars introducing and explaining the service. She’s also been great helping us understand our corporate reports, and where to take action.”
Spotting patterns
All organisations with 60 or more staff taking a Bluecrest Wellness health assessment get a management information report, with anonymised, aggregated results. It can help workplaces spot patterns and trends, and target interventions, which is exactly what Kevin and his team have been doing.
He continues: “One of the things we discovered is that we’ve got a blood pressure problem at the Coal Authority. We do have an older and aging workforce - and we do have seriously committed people who will go above and beyond and put themselves under pressure. So we need to think about how to address that, how to help people know their numbers and look after their blood pressure, and look after their hearts more generally. It's going to be a key area for us over the coming months, and the subject of some of our health events and initiatives.”
Alongside their other health support services, including Bluecrest’s 24/7 GP service, enhanced sickness absence leave, a network of mental health first aiders and an Employee Assistance Programme, the Coal Authority run awareness days, fitness challenges, and other health-focussed events.
Kevin explains: “The report has helped us really target what we do, because it tells us which parts of the population we need to focus on – for instance older males for blood pressure. Meanwhile it’s younger males who are most likely to avoid going for their health assessment, so that’s another area for us to plough some resource behind, really encouraging that take-up next year.”
Universal benefit
The Coal Authority have signed up for a four-year contract with Bluecrest Wellness, and are looking forward to tracking progress over time.
“I would highly recommend Bluecrest Wellness to any organisation,” says Kevin. “In fact, I’ve already been on the phone with several HR contacts singing their praises. For us it ticks all the boxes. The price is right, the quality is right, the management information is just what we needed - and the health outcomes we’ve seen speak for themselves.
“If you want a universal benefit that really makes a difference - and gives you great data to drive your wider health and wellbeing strategy - Bluecrest Wellness are a great place to start.”
