Legal & General Group Protection has launched the Be Well helpline as part of its Be Well Hub for employers and intermediaries. The helpline provides HR and line managers with early intervention support to help employees who may be struggling with physical or mental health issues that affect their work.

The Be Well helpline is available to all existing and new group income protection clients at no extra cost. It provides direct access to the insurer’s in-house team of vocational clinical specialists including clinical nursing, occupational health, physiotherapy and occupational therapy by phone or email, 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.

The helpline is designed for HR and line managers to help them support people to remain in work if they are showing signs of struggling to carry out their duties. It provides guidance and recommendations for workplace adjustments and risk assessments as well as support and advice on mental health and wellbeing, cancer, Covid-19 and its longer term effects.

The helpline is an evolution of the provider’s Be Well hub that provides a one-stop-shop for all Legal & General’s wellbeing support services plus HR toolkits, advice, education and awareness material, including signposting support.

Be Well represents the prevention and early intervention focused pillar of the insurer’s Be Well, Get Better, Be Supported framework that focuses on helping people restore health and wellbeing when illness or injury strike.

Vanessa Sallows (pictured), claims & governance director, Legal & General Group Protection, said: “We recognise that many HR and Line Managers don’t know where to turn for advice when an employee is struggling in work. We could see a need for direct access to qualified healthcare professionals at an early stage before the problem becomes so bad employees need to take time off work. We also understand it is vital those healthcare professionals take a biopsychosocial approach to see that being able to work is a health outcome in itself.

“The Be Well hub and helpline are core elements of our Be Well, Get Better, Be Supported framework for personalised care pathway support. Our group income protection products provide a range of wellbeing services that don’t just help manage absence and return to work, but also help employees thrive in the workplace. In turn, this helps support the overall wellbeing of employees and the business.”