Industry-leading EAP provider expands to Australia with launch of Wisdom Wellbeing

Manchester, England and Sydney, Australia - The UK and Ireland’s largest independent EAP provider will open its first overseas office in Sydney this summer, in a move designed to bring its industry-leading health and wellbeing provision to organisations, including small business owners, across Australia.

Wisdom Wellbeing, the Australia arm of Health Assured, will launch its services in July this year, employing 12 people out of their Sydney headquarters. The company’s award-winning, affordable EAP provision includes:

• • A 24-hour helpline giving immediate access to qualified counsellors any time of day or night
• • Short-term solution focused therapy
• • Structured support
• • Computerised CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)
• • App and web access to resources, action plans, trackers, podcasts and more

This launch comes on the heels of recent findings that Australian employers have seen a 43% year-on-year increase in mental-health related sickness absence, compared to an average 21% year-on-year increase globally. At the same time, 19% fewer Australian employers said they are confident their employees would raise mental health concerns than this time last year. There has also been a 56% year-on-year increase in the number of Australian employers who have personally experienced mental health challenges over the last 12 months, and a 48% rise in the number of people taking time away from work to care for their family or friends who are struggling with mental ill-health.

Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at Health Assured, says “97% of the 2.6m businesses in Australia have less than 20 employees. We already support up to 25,000 Australian SMEs via our sister companies across the Peninsula Group and know first-hand the challenges that Australian businesses face in terms of accessing mental health and wellbeing support for their employees.

“In the 12 years since the Peninsula Group acquired Health Assured in the UK, our services have transformed the UK’s health and wellbeing provision for SMEs.

“Since the pandemic there’s been a significant increase in the number of people citing mental health as a reason for needing to take time off work. In the UK and Ireland, we have seen the number of complex and elevated risk calls double in the last three years.

“At the same time the pressure has increased on more traditional healthcare providers, with waiting times for access to mental health services at an all-time high. At a time when people need help the most, they’re now having to wait longer than ever before to access this support.

“We see every day the difference that early access to support can make when it comes to mental health. That’s why we are excited to bring Wisdom Wellbeing to Australia, giving millions of Australian employees access to tools and services to help maintain a healthy workforce.”

--ENDS—

Notes to editor

Bertrand Stern-Gillet is available for interview

Contact Miriam Payne, Associate Director of Group PR and Comms E. [email protected]

Clare Megahey, Public Relations Specialist [email protected]

About Health Assured

The UK and Ireland’s largest independent and award-winning Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider. Years of experience with health and wellbeing; we’re the only major EAP provider BACP-accredited at organisational level in the UK. Public, private, and non-profit businesses rely on our clinical expertise to provide support to over 13 million lives. Trusted experts in reducing stress, combating absenteeism, encouraging good mental health, and promoting positivity in the workplace. www.healthassured.org