The health and wellbeing of Virgin Money colleagues is in safe hands thanks to an innovative partnership between the financial services company and two North East based health service providers.
North East physiotherapy practice Physiotherapy Matters has teamed up with Newcastle-based independent medical services provider Newcastle Premier Health to help Virgin Money offer specialist healthcare to its staff.
The multi-disciplinary initiative aims to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of staff, support people with long term problems to remain in productive employment, shorten absence times or prevent absence from work and reintegrate staff members into the workplace following periods of sick leave.
The collaborative model is also designed to improve the way that managers request occupational health support and increase the level of communication between managers, physiotherapists and occupational health professionals.
Physiotherapy Matters and Newcastle Premier Health offer regular ‘drop-in’ sessions for Virgin Money employees, plus a telephone triage service.
A range of online webinars videos have been created to support Virgin Money’s employees to be healthier in the workplace. The online resources focus on issues such as preventing tension headaches, repetitive strain injury and back problems, and include health tips and demonstrations of desk-based exercises. This has enabled Virgin Money employees in other sites in the UK to access the same specialist advice and wellbeing support provided to staff at the Newcastle office.
Adrienne Edwardson, Senior Health & Safety Advisor at Virgin Money, said: “The specialist service provided by Physiotherapy Matters and Newcastle Premier Health can make a huge difference to the lives of our staff members. It’s fantastic to have been able to draw on their multidisciplinary expertise and vast experience of physiotherapy and occupational health to enhance the level of support we offer to our team.”
