Early Intervention
For Insurers
Refer early, engage early, achieve optimised outcome. See how HCB Group understand this process and have proven its effectiveness with results.
Employee Health Management
For Employers
Combining absence management, early intervention, case management and rehabilitation. See how HCB Group are out to redefine Occupational Health Services!
Welcome to HCB South Africa
HCB South Africa is the trading name of Employee Health Management South Africa. HCB South Africa is part of the HCB Group which is headquartered in Oxfordshire, UK.
HCB Group has been supporting disability insurers and employers in the UK and Ireland since 1984. HCB Group have a proven outcome and customer service record and we are proud to have built a market leading reputation which is underpinned by client relationships, integrity and reliability. 2021 sees the launch of HCB South Africa. HCB South Africa will leverage the HCB Group skills and experience and bring a new dynamic to the South African Income Protection and Employee wellness market.
HCB South Africa’s mission is to Redefine Occupational Health. Our aim is to change the mind-set relative to what a fully integrated holistic and outcome focused Occupational Health provider can deliver. Rather than the traditional ‘medical model’, HCB Group’s approach blends compassion and common sense and draws on rigorous scientific research, which is constantly refined and updated.
Absence Management, Case Management and Rehabilitation are combined into a seamless integrated service. HCB Group knows that based on our own experience that the majority of sickness absence arises from social rather than medical determinants. HCB Group’s focus is on the absentee with the Case Manager engaging positively with them, identifying and dismantling return-to-work barriers, and working with them and their employers to agree a sustainable return to work plan that works for all stakeholders.
Based on HCB Group’s experience, we know that if absentees are referred within 4 weeks, the HCB Group model returns >90% of people to work – where referrals are made 26 weeks or more after date first absent, <5% of absentees will ever return to work.
HCB Group’s pioneering work in this area has been customised to meet the needs of South African insurers, employers, and employees.
Tailored support
Based on our experience we know that every client is different. Insurers have very different claims philosophies, and employers have different cultures, some supportive and paternalistic, and others are more rules based.
For this reason, HCB Group has learned to deliver the same outcome focused service, but carefully nuanced to blend with the culture of the organisations we support.
See what separates us from our competitors, by reading a little about The Science Behind the Service below.
Need proof that Early Intervention works?
The Science Behind the Service
HCB Case Managers are laser-focussed on sustainable outcomes. Their work is underpined by three pillars, which combine to make HCB South Africa a unique provider of Employee Health Management Systems.
Understand the Cause
BPS
Granular understanding and use of the BPS Model of Disability Assessment. Training delivered to HCB clinicians designed by one of the original architects of the BPS model, and Director of HCB, the late Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB. This enables our CCM’s to understand the prominence of Biological, Psychological and Social factors influencing RTW at core level.
Control Duration
ODG
HCB uses world leading disability duration guidelines to aid target RTW dates, provide details on likely co-morbidities and help keep absentees motivated and driven towards sustainable RTW. These guidelines are particularly useful where MSK or other objectively diagnosable conditions are encountered.
Communicate Positively
Communicate to Influence
A training module delivered by HCB Group in partnership with its Australian based owners, combining nudge theory, brain science and motivational interviewing techniques to enable our clinicians to deliver better outcomes and improve relationships through improved understanding of how to handle challenging conversations.
What is the ‘BioPsychoSocial (BPS) Model’?
People talk in general terms about the BPS model, that taken literally to mean understanding whether a condition resulting in absence from the workplace is the result of a biological, psychological or socially determined condition.
HCB’s unique understanding and deployment of the BPS model starts right at the beginning, at the very first engagement with an employee. At this point, it is necessary that we Determine the real Cause of absence – this enables us to only deploy the expensive and precious ‘medical model’ where we are sure there is a medical condition to treat!
Biological conditions are easy. They can generally be quickly and efficiently diagnosed by a clinician, and treatment pathways are available. HCB works with employees towards understanding and managing absence duration in this type of case, often supported by established disability duration guidelines which help us case manage treatment to ensure a timely return to work.
Psychological conditions are more tricky because some of them are largely self-reported and subjective. Again, either as a result of clinical diagnosis, or HCB early intervention, these conditions can be identified and steps taken to implement appropriate treatment / signposting as the earliest possible time. Of course, there is an inherent danger to delayed engagement where Psychological issues prevail, and these conditions can be expected to worsen over time where unresolved. Another good reason for utilising HCB’s early intervention services.
Socially determined absence can be attributed to a significant and increasing number of workplace absences. There is evidence that as much as 70% of sickness absence is socially determined and often wrongly medicalised by the medical profession. For this reason, HCB invest significant time and effort at the initial engagement with absentees to identify those cases which are actually socially determined, which enable our clinicians to (a) avoid deployment of the medical model where there Is no medical condition to treat, and (b) identify the real barriers preventing the person from returning to work, and using appropriate resource and support to help dismantle those barriers in pursuit of a meaningful outcome for all stakeholders.
To demonstrate the value that HCB delivers to clients, the video below was created collaboratively by HCB, the Insurer and the Employer of the person that HCB supported. The video provides insight into HCB's unique proposition and the journey experience for the individual at the heart of our service. We will be delivering this unrivalled level of support to HCB clients globally.
Prof Christoffel Grobler, HCB South Africa’s Chief Medical Officer says;
“The importance of returning to work after sickness absence should never be underestimated, as cessation of work is known to result in a deterioration in both mental and physical health. The longer a person is away from work, the lower the chances of returning to work. Therefore, no stone should ever be left unturned to determine barriers to returning to work early on, and dismantling these barriers wherever possible.”
Absenteeism R2.2 billion. Presenteeism R14.8 billion
The cost of workplace depression to South Africa
We're international
HCB's dream to provide services internationally becomes a reality
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