Nearly one billion people globally suffer from a form of mental illness - 13 per cent of the world's population, yet it is still one of the most misunderstood areas of health.
It has been suggested that people are more unlikely to seek help for mental health issues if it is connected to their employer or workplace for fear of stigma. Mediclinic currently provides coverage for psychiatry and psychology treatments for employees within the Mediclinic network. As of October 1, an additional allowance will be given to all members and insured dependents through the existing medical insurance policy to use mental health services outside the Mediclinic network apart from the existing cover in place.
Sam Browning, recruitment operations and wellbeing lead for Mediclinic Middle East said: "As a healthcare provider, Mediclinic takes the health and wellbeing of its staff extremely seriously. When it comes to mental health in particular, we believe that everyone should feel comfortable enough to seek help when they need it. We understand that some Mediclinic employees may prefer to speak to a mental health professional outside the Mediclinic group. We're delighted that, from October 1, employees will be able to do just that, using our existing insurance policy, but with no involvement of Mediclinic staff at any point. We hope this initiative will further encourage any member of our team to reach out for mental health support if and when they require it."