If you're in financial difficulty due to COVID-19 and need to discuss your payment options please contact us on 0800 414 8100
Ever since we came into being, Benenden Health has stood by its members, providing essential healthcare services. Our organisation thrives on being a mutual, where contributions from a membership of over 800,000 are used to support your health and wellbeing. During the current crisis that won't change.
You can still request authorisation for diagnostics or treatment but it’s highly likely there will be a delay to your diagnostics and treatment appointments unless urgent. We have agreed that all diagnostic and treatment authorisations from 1st January 2020 are now valid for 12 months.
We’re here to care for our members.
For help and advice during this challenging time take a look at some of our articles on:
According to the NHS, COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called Coronavirus and symptoms include a cough, loss of taste or sense of smell, fever and breathing difficulties.
The illness is often more severe in people with a weakened immune system, older people, and those with long term conditions. For those who are normally healthy, your immune system should be able to manage this virus, as it would any common cold/flu.
For more information please visit the NHS website regarding
Current advice for UK residents – if you live alone, self-isolate for 7 days. If a member of your household begins showing symptoms everyone needs to self-isolate for 14 days, if you have either:
a high temperature, equal or greater to 37.8˚c for a prolonged period of time
a new, continuous cough
loss of taste or sense of smell
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.
If you have symptoms contact NHS119 who will advise on testing and next steps. Alternatively if your symptoms are life threatening call 999.
Who is classed as vulnerable, what is a long-term condition, do I need to be worried, should I self-isolate? These are current common health concerns of the nation as whole.
Coronavirus can be spread when people with the virus have close, sustained contact with people who are not infected. This typically means spending more than 15 minutes within two metres of an infected person, such as talking to someone for instance.
Information on hand hygiene, planning ahead and how to use health services and resources.
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can be fabulous sources of information but sadly this information may not be fact based and can quickly raise anxiety and spread concern. The spread of misinformation, myth and rumour can create serious health and social implications for our society.
When looking for Coronavirus information the following will provide the most up to and evidence-based information:
English government and public health information
gov.uk/coronavirus
www.nhs.uk/coronavirus/
www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Welsh government & public health information
https://gov.wales/coronavirus
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
Scottish government & public health information
https://www.gov.scot/
https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/
Northern Ireland Executive & public health
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
Accredited Twitter feeds
Public Health England @PHE_uk
Public Health Wales @PublicHealthW
Public Health Scotland @P_H_S_Official
Public Health Northern Ireland @publichealthni
Our 24/7 GP helpline partner Medical Solutions have also provided a range of resources including helpful videos.
