Essex County Council funds a Care England Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provided by Perkbox Vivup to support care sector workers in Essex

EAP provision will address some of the key issues which have plagued the sector for decades

Care England has partnered with employee benefits specialist Perkbox Vivup to provide a dedicated EAP service to support staff wellbeing and reduce sector-specific workforce challenges, which has been fully funded by Essex County Council for care staff across Essex.

The care sector has undergone significant workforce challenges in recent years, while an ageing population means increasing numbers of people are in need of support.  The need for the county council and the care sector to nurture and support the social care workers is more important than ever.

Providing end-to-end specialist wellbeing services ensures care sector staff in Essex are supported with their mental, physical, and financial wellness and helps address the workforce challenges which have had unprecedented effects across the sector.

Essex’s involvement is an example of good practice for councils across England, showing the vital role they play in the wellbeing of the local health and social care sector. The Essex EAP solution provided by Perkbox Vivup on behalf of Care England offers a complete care solution comprising of four wellness pillars – Mental, Financial, Physical and Community, providing care staff with:

•   Immediate access to 120 employed counsellors 24/7 – 365.
•   Access to secondary mental health support with clinicians at the highest level of clinical accreditation (APPTS) including an online GP service.
•   Early intervention, self-service and proactive wellness platform which includes assessments, recommendations, and signposting to suitable treatment.
•   Domestic abuse support and resources with award-winning dedicated menopause support.

Essex County Council is the first council to fully fund and make use of the Care England-Perkbox Vivup partnership for the benefit of the county’s care sector employees, utilising Perkbox Vivup’s full EAP service which includes a discount and money saving solution worth up to £1,500 per employee per year.

Cllr John Spence Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care said:

“Care sector workers are unsung heroes, providing care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society. They should feel supported and deserve services that help them to manage and improve their own wellbeing.

“I am proud that Essex County Council is the first council to fully fund and use the Care England-Perkbox Vivup partnership for the benefit of our county’s care-sector employees.  The investment is testament to the value we place on them: extraordinary people doing extraordinary things so that others can live ordinary lives.”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:

“The workforce is the heartbeat of the care sector and our biggest resource, and the challenges faced are well documented. Now is the time to think creatively about new solutions which will benefit those in care, as well as those who work in, and provide care. EAPs and wellbeing programmes help employers equip the workforce with the tools they need to build personal resilience and deal with issues before they become difficult to treat or affect workplace performance, presenteeism and negatively impact staff retention or those we care for.

“Keeping staff well and at work is crucial, and our EAP solution provided by Perkbox Vivup helps employers demonstrate their commitment to their staff which helps attract and retain valued members of the workforce. Having a low staff turnover rate also has a well-documented positive impact on people in receipt of care, so it truly benefits everyone.”

Essex Care Association Chairman Rahul Jagota said:

“Our care provider members work hard to advocate for their employees who are the backbone of our sector, and the Essex County Council fully funded EAP solution goes a long way to helping our care provider employers ensure their staff have access to the high-quality support necessary to continue providing exceptional high-quality care across Essex, if we are to make inroads into the workforce challenges we have been wrestling with for years.

 “Essex County Council have listened to our and Care England’s requests for more support and acted accordingly, and we look forward to care workers across Essex yielding the results of the services provided by Perkbox Vivup.”

Tristan Rigby, Head of Wellbeing, Perkbox Vivup, said:

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Care England, providing a valuable service to hard-working care staff who, for years, have been navigating unprecedented sector challenges from low pay, work-related stress and burnout, and more recently, the cost-of-living crisis.

“The wellbeing services will make a huge impact on their professional and personal lives, supporting them through sudden life crises while providing essential early intervention services, reducing absenteeism and ultimately, improving productivity.”

About the Perkbox Vivup Group

Perkbox and Vivup joined forces in July 2024 to form the Perkbox Vivup Group, an employee benefits, wellbeing and engagement platform, revolutionising the employee benefits landscape.

With over two decades experience, the Perkbox Vivup Group offering spans enhancing access to specialist mental health services to helping staff manage the cost of everyday essentials. The Group supports employees in all areas of life, at every stage of their career, both in and out of the workplace.

Trusted by more than 7,500 organisations across the public, private, SME, and corporate sectors, the Perkbox Vivup Group is delivering an enhanced range of benefits and engagement solutions to 4 million employees across the globe.

About Care England

Care England, a registered charity, is the largest and most diverse representative body for independent providers of adult social care in England. Care England’s members provide over 120,000 beds and a variety of services for older people, those with long-term conditions, learning disabilities, mental health conditions and people with autism.
Care England speaks with a unified voice for our members and the care sector. We are committed to supporting a united, quality-conscious, independent sector that offers real choice and value for money.

About Essex Care Association

The Essex Care Association is an independent voluntary ‘not for profit’ organisation providing support, knowledge, and advice to social care providers in Essex, to represent social care provider interests, alert members to issues affecting social care organisations and offering a range of services to meet their needs.

For more information visit https://essexcare.org.uk