PocDoc partners with Gov Facility Services Limited, Arm's Length Body of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) on rollout of cardiovascular disease tests to boost workplace health

PocDoc today announces a new partnership with Gov Facility Services Ltd (GFSL), an Arm’s Length Body (ALB) of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), to give all employees access to Digital Home Health Checks for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Through the partnership, GFSL, which is responsible for providing facilities management services to prisons across the South East of England, will offer PocDoc’s ‘Healthy Heart Check’ as part of their wellbeing package to all staff, to be completed at home.

The initiative aims to encourage staff to take a proactive approach to their heart health, supporting GFSL’s commitment to boosting employee wellbeing. This approach also aligns with the Government’s goals of shifting care out of GP surgeries to home and community environments, placing a greater emphasis on prevention and enabling digital-first solutions where possible.

PocDoc’s ‘Healthy Heart Check’ offers patients a comprehensive cholesterol profile, body mass index score, NHS heart age, and a ten-year risk assessment for heart attacks or stroke. Carried out via a phone, it helps identify people at risk of CVD easily and quickly, so they can treat or prevent their condition before it develops, with no need to visit a GP or hospital for testing.

Health and wellbeing are an increasing focus for employers and employees. By promoting preventive health measures, companies can reduce chronic conditions in the workforce. Research shows that organisations with comprehensive wellbeing programmes reported a 25% reduction in healthcare costs over five years. ¹

This initiative builds on PocDoc’s mission to increase accessibility to preventative testing across the UK. It is a mission of significant importance, with the NHS currently spending more treating cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases than any other illness - including £7.4 billion for CVD alone². With research suggesting that as many as 80% of CVD cases are preventable³, at-home diagnostics hold major promise - the NHS estimates that each digital health check could save 20 minutes of NHS time ⁴, freeing up thousands of GP appointments.

Steve Roest, CEO at PocDoc, commented: 

“We are thrilled to announce this new partnership with Gov Facility Services Limited, who have embraced the value of Digital Home Health Checks as an employee benefit.

“Our Healthy Heart Check gives GFSL employees the opportunity to take accessible and efficient action on their heart health while enhancing the department’s wider wellbeing commitment to employees.

“By providing an alternative touchpoint for cardiovascular testing, we hope to raise awareness of the benefits of early screening, which we hope in the long-term will help to drive a culture of preventative care across government organisations.”

Kirsty Rice, Deputy People Director at GFSL said: 

“As an organisation, we’re dedicated to supporting our employees and providing them with the tools to enhance their health and wellbeing. This exciting partnership with PocDoc reiterates this commitment to our employees, to ensure they feel valued and supported.

“Through PocDoc’s innovative Healthy Heart Check, we are empowering our employees with the tools to take charge of their own health, detect any potential problems faster and then take action. This initial rollout is just the start, and we’re excited to continue to work with the PocDoc team in the future to give more of our employees the chance to get ahead on their health.”