The cost of delayed healthcare

Poor workplace health is creating growing challenges for employers. 

• 148.9 million working days are lost to sickness absence each year in the UK 

• The average employee is absent for 4.4 days annually 

• Sickness absence is estimated to cost UK employers £22 billion a year, with each absent day costing £139 on average 

NHS pressures are making it increasingly difficult for employees to access timely GP appointments, diagnostics and treatment.  

When healthcare is delayed, minor health concerns can escalate, increasing the risk of longer absences, presenteeism and lost productivity. Many employers have invested in employee health and wellbeing benefits. But as healthcare access becomes more challenging and costs continue to rise, an important question remains: 

Are those benefits reaching enough employees to make a meaningful difference? 

Timely access to healthcare has become a critical workforce issue. 

Organisations that improve access to healthcare support can help reduce sickness absence, shorten recovery times and improve employee experience while creating a more sustainable approach to benefits investment. 

In this practical guide, we explore how employers are extending access to healthcare support through scalable, cost-effective solutions that help more employees access the care they need, when they need it. It also includes provider comparisons, indicative costs and practical recommendations to help you evaluate your options. 

• The hidden cost of delayed healthcare and its impact on absence, productivity and employee experience 

• Practical ways to improve access to healthcare support without significantly increasing costs 

• How leading employers are extending healthcare support to more employees 

• A comparison of healthcare providers, services and indicative costs to help you evaluate your options