Bupa From Home enhanced to provide cancer treatment and cardiac assessment remotely
Bupa UK has expanded its range of remote health services to include round-the-clock advice from nurses, treatment from GPs, physios and mental health therapists.
The Bupa From Home package enhancements also include access to diagnosis and treatment for critical conditions such as cancer, cardiac and mental health, especially those considered vulnerable as a result of Covid-19.
According to a study by The Lancet, 20% of the UK population is at risk during the pandemic due to common conditions such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems. Doctors are concerned that a large proportion of those with serious conditions - as many as 60% for cancer patients according to the NHS - are putting off seeking help from a GP.
Bupa said it can now connect customers to thousands of consultants offering remote consultations.
Cardiac assessment and cancer treatment
Bupa has also confirmed that it has expanded a rapid cardiac assessment service to all health insurance customers following a pilot.
The service enables triage assessments via video consultation and diagnostic testing from home, while Bupa's chemotherapy at home service has also been expanded.
The health insurer also said the number of appointments through its digital GP service has increased threefold since March and calls to Bupa's Anytime Healthline have more than doubled compared to the previous year.
Alex Perry, CEO, Bupa UK Insurance said: "This pandemic has seen a huge increase in the use of healthcare delivered by phone, video or in the home. Now more than ever, customers are looking for safe and convenient ways to access advice and care to support their physical and mental health. Bupa has been at forefront of innovative new services over the past few years and expanded them in response to this crisis. Bupa from Home provides reassurance for customers knowing they can speak to a full range of experts easily and often on the same day, to get the help, support and advice they want and need."
Bupa From Home includes:
- Support for cancer, mental health and MSK via Direct Access to assess symptoms and refer on to a specialist, often without needing to see a GP first.
- GP from home. Access to advice, diagnosis and prescriptions 24 hours a day, seven days a week via video GP service, in partnership with Babylon.
- Talk to a nurse 24/7. Customers can call Anytime HealthLine for general health and wellbeing advice. Lines are open and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Remote consultant appointments. Telephone and video consultations with a Bupa-recognised consultant.
- Support for mental health and wellbeing. Customers with mental health cover in their policies now have the option of consultations with therapists over the phone or video, plus online cognitive behavioural therapy. Parents and carers of children can also call its Family Mental HealthLine to speak to advisers and mental health nurses.
- Support for heart problems. Customers suffering from cardiac symptoms, like chest pains or palpitations, can have a consultation with a cardiologist within 36 hours of speaking to the specialist triage team. If further tests are needed, home diagnostics are available.
- Chemotherapy at home. Customers can have cancer treatment.
- Talk to a physiotherapist. Access to physiotherapists via telephone or video consultations who assess condition and design personalised exercise programmes.
- Advice on preparing for treatment. Pain management, prehabilitation, plus health coaching and lifestyle advice.
- Emergency dental remote support: Bupa Dental Insurance and Cash Plan customers who are midway through treatment or have an emergency can have a consultation with a Bupa dentist either by telephone or by arranging a video conference.
