Legal & General has launched a new early intervention care package for employees in its group protection schemes who are displaying symptoms of “long Covid”.
3 Nov 2020
There is mounting evidence of a long tail of prolonged symptoms following Covid-19, including profound fatigue, ongoing breathlessness, fluctuating symptoms or disabling anxiety. Legal & General’s new Long Covid Intervention Package, which is delivered by rehabilitation experts Vitality360, will be available for employees who present with fatigue and associated symptoms following Covid-19.
The package includes eight hours of therapy assessment and rehabilitation time. An assessment via telephone or video call will lead directly into the provision of advice and signposting over video call. Each employee will receive bespoke treatment which will be focused on physical symptoms, with further psychological support provided by Legal & General’s cognitive behavioural therapy and employee assistance services.
Employees will be referred to Legal & General by their employer following an absence of four to six weeks, whereupon they will be assessed by a rehabilitation specialist from Vitality360’s multi-disciplinary team if it is determined their absence is due to long Covid. The assessment will look at the employee’s current situation, including past medical history, presenting symptoms and the impact of these symptoms on their functional and vocational capacity. The specialist will then advise on whether further medical investigation is needed and, if not, will provide seven more therapy sessions which support the employee in self-managing their symptoms and help them gain confidence. The specialist will also provide advice regarding a realistic work plan, which the employee can pass on to their employer as appropriate.
Charlotte Bray, Rehabilitation and Clinical Lead at Legal & General: "It’s clear that long Covid is having a debilitating effect on many people, some of whom are unable to work due to fatigue and other symptoms. Our Long Covid Intervention Package will support employees with strategies that help them self-manage these symptoms so they can get back to work and everyday life, as well as signpost them to further care if necessary. It’s still early days in the treatment of long Covid, but we believe the specialist and bespoke advice and care available via our new package will equip employees with the means to recover from the long-term symptoms of this terrible disease."
Beverly Knops, Executive Manager and Specialist Occupational Therapist at Vitality360: "While the effects of long Covid are still not fully known, we have seen that people are experiencing debilitating symptoms and some have been diagnosed with Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome. Fatigue and associated symptoms can interfere with every aspect of day-to-day life, so being supported with strategies and learning how to cope can really help reduce its impact. This is why Legal & General’s Long Covid Intervention Package is so welcome; it will really help employees gain the confidence to get back to work in a way that suits their individual needs."
Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK's leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with £1.2 trillion in total assets under management1 of which 40% is international. We have a unique and highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. Legal & General provides powerful asset origination and management capabilities directly to clients, which also underpin our leading retirement and protection solutions. We are a leading international player in Pension Risk Transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. Our purpose is to improve the lives of our customers and create value for our shareholders. Through inclusive capitalism, we are investing in long-term assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, that can help build a better society for the future.
1Data as at 31 December 2023.
Legal & General Insurance (LGI) has been offering life insurance cover since 1836 and is the UK’s number one individual life insurance provider. Our group protection business in the UK offers life insurance and income protection products to individuals through their employers and we offer term-life insurance in the US. We now have over 5.5 million UK life insurance customers, 1.8 million people in group protection schemes and approaching 1.3 million US term-life insurance policyholders. Here in LGI, we protect our customers and their loved ones throughout life and death.
*at 31 Jun 2021