UK Government renews global healthcare contract with Healix
New five year contract gives overseas staff and travelling workers from 19 government departments access to wide-ranging healthcare support
Healix International has won an Open Procurement Procedure to be appointed by the UK Government to look after the global healthcare of its 25,000 travelling and overseas workers until 2025. The contract, under the One HMG banner, is the third successive renewal with Healix International and means it is now entering its tenth year of 24/7 365 day care for government staff and their families overseas. Working for 19 different departments including the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the five year contract also includes an option to extend for a further two years, until 2027.
Central to the renewal of the contract was the commitment to ensure that government staff and their families receive a level of care equivalent to the NHS, even though healthcare in many of the countries in which they work operates at lower standards. The comprehensive health screening of UK government staff and their families before they go abroad was another crucial facet of the contract, ensuring that medical risks are anticipated and mitigated against wherever possible. The low level of medical repatriations carried out over the last contract period is testament to the effectiveness of the Healix screening process, combined with the high quality local medical support where it is needed.
As part of the five year contract Healix also deliver occupational health support for staff from FCDO and FCDO Services, two key government departments, as well as mental health support for all government employees abroad. Greater focus has been placed on digitisation of processes, including the creation of a brand new One HMG global healthcare hub, enabling government staff and families to access all the medical resources they need from one centre of excellence.
“UK government staff and families live and work in over 190 different countries, with varying degrees of local medical care”, explained Russell Smith, Director of Government Services, Healix International. “It’s vital, therefore, that they know they and their families can access the healthcare support they need – to the same standards they would expect if they were in the UK. We like overseas staff and their families to think of us as their overseas GP, where they can access all levels of primary and secondary medical healthcare just when they need it.”
The far-reaching package of care will incorporate:
- Medical screening and risk mitigation for all travellers, overseas staff and their families
- Elective and non-elective primary and secondary healthcare globally
- Medical advice and second opinion
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
- On-going medical case management
- Ability to provide medical staff at overseas locations if required.
- Occupational Health for FCDO and FCDO Services employees abroad and in the UK including psychological assessments and remote support in the more difficult environments.
Mike Webb, CEO of Healix International added:
“Now in our tenth year of working for the British government, I believe that the success of our longstanding relationship is down to keeping one step ahead of the changing requirements needed to keep the government’s overseas staff and their families, and their travelling workers, supported across all aspects of their healthcare. In particular, as awareness of mental health issues increasingly comes to the forefront of society, we’re delighted to be extending the range of services we provide to government workers to include mental wellbeing support.
“This latest renewal of our contract will also see us capitalise on digital innovation to provide government staff and their families with an ever-more streamlined process to access information and medical assistance when they need it. Combined with our cost containment expertise, this means we can give government departments the confidence that the right care is provided to their employees whilst effectively managing their healthcare budgets.”
