Vitality LifeFeb 8 2019

Vitality targets mental health with latest launch

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Vitality targets mental health with latest launch

Vitality Health has launched a mental health package offering support and treatment to members.

The optional mental health cover provides access to early intervention and support, including cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling.

Members also have access to an additional £1,500 for out-patient treatment, such as a psychologist, and 28 days of more comprehensive in or day-patient treatment.

The launch follows research by the firm at the end of last year which found roughly 60 per cent of UK employees are suffering from work-related stress or depression.

Neville Koopowitz, chief executive of VitalityHealth, said: "Our experience and research has shown us that physical and mental health and wellbeing are interlinked.

"We also know that good mental health is about more than the treatment of ill health, it also requires a focus on general wellbeing and encouraging healthy behaviours.

"We have invested in a range of pathways and treatments for our members, to cater for the broad range of risk – from the ability for people to proactively engage in healthy mental wellbeing activities through Vitality Healthy Mind, and early intervention and treatment through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling, through to more comprehensive in-patient support for the most severe conditions.

"In so doing, we believe that VitalityHealth are offering the most holistic mental health and wellbeing solution in the market."

Members can additionally access a range of mental health apps for free or at a discounted rate through Vitality Healthy Mind, which incentivises members to engage in healthy mindfulness activities.

To date, nearly 20,000 Vitality members have logged more than 200,000 mindfulness sessions through a range of leading meditation and mindfulness apps offered within the package.

Members earn two Vitality points for every 10 minutes a day spent on one of the apps.

These points help members achieve lower premium increases at renewal on their health and life insurance.

Alan Lakey, director at CI Expert, said: "Mental health is very much in the spotlight this year and this package aims to pre-empt and/or minimise many of these problems.

"It has been clinically proven that meditation reduces stress, depression and epilepsy, so providing easy access to facilities such as Bhuddify, Calm & Mindfulness will not only assist existing sufferers but will minimise the risk of future mental health problems.

"In fact research highlights that meditation provides a positive effect on the structure of the brain.

"VitalityLife has been at the forefront of encouraging good health which has the beneficial impact of reducing potential claims and this enhancement builds on that."

Jenny Turton is a freelance journalist