UK employers should embrace digital healthcare to reduce absenteeism during winter

The NHS is struggling to cope with flu and bed shortages, while A&E is in crisis, but it is not just hospitals that are overwhelmed. The BMJ reports GPs in the UK are turning patients away, while out-of-hours GP services are also under intense pressure this winter. "The NHS can't meet the demands being placed upon it this winter," said Jan Lawson, executive director of Punter Southall Health & Protection. "One simple solution is for employers is to offer digital health services, so employees can consult with a GP from their desktops or smart phones as soon as they are ill." With...