24/7 GP service

Simplyhealth have partnered with HealthHero to provide their GP services to our customers.

HealthHero has been clinically chosen by Simplyhealth to provide this GP service and together we work to deliver a trusted service to our customers.

HealthHero is the largest digital-first healthcare provider in Europe – supporting 35 million people. Their Video GP service allows you to speak face-to-face to a doctor from the comfort of your own home or anywhere that is convenient.

Consultations are provided by HealthHero - https://www.healthhero.com.

By booking a consultation you are agreeing to HealthHero’s terms and conditions and consenting to data being collected and shared for legitimate purposes as detailed in HealthHero’s privacy policy.

You can sign up and book a GP appointment within minutes through your Simplyhealth Plan. The service is accessible using both SimplyPlan and your online account.

• Register (you’ll only need to do this once) and enter the access code

• Fill in your details and check your email inbox for a confirmation email

• Once registered, simply sign in and book your consultation at a time that works for you

Alternatively, you can call to book an appointment via telephone and the number can be accessed via your Simplyhealth portal, through myWellbeing.

Telephone consultations are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Video consultations are available between 8am and 10pm, 7 days a week.

Yes. Where possible, they will always try to accommodate a patient’s preference to speak to a male or female doctor. There is an option to select your preference when booking.

Anything you would ask your own GP, for example, stomach issues, ears, nose and throat complaints, dermatological conditions, aches and pains and explanations or second opinions on diagnosis or treatment.

If you have adult or child dependants on the policy, they can also access the service. Any dependants over 16 will need to register separately. You can invite them to the GP services through your online account. Just sign in or register and click this link to where you need to go to send the invite www.simplyhealth.co.uk/member-portal/add-dependant

If it is clinically appropriate and if the service is available to you, the GP can issue a private fit note, at the discretion of the clinician. HealthHero does not charge for issuing private fit notes, but you will need to check with your employer to confirm that they will accept one. Private fit notes cannot be used to access state-funded sick pay or benefits.

For acute problems that the patient is consulting about, the clinician may, at their discretion, issue a fit note for up to 14 days from the date of the consultation (in exceptional cases up to 21 days).

They cannot issue extensions of fit notes, whether these were initiated by a HealthHero clinician or any other clinician. Fit notes can be backdated:

• To the day the patient booked the appointment

• Up to one week at the clinician’s discretion

• Any length of time, if the patient provides proof that they need the fit note backdated for longer, at the clinician’s discretion.

Please make sure you are available at the time of your appointment, you will receive a text and email reminder 10 minutes before, just in case you lose track of time.

You will need to explain your symptoms and/or condition with the doctor, so please make sure you are in a suitable environment, and where both you and the doctor can hear.

Many customers receive the advice, reassurance and, where appropriate, diagnosis they need from the GP. The GPs can assist with most questions you may want to ask a GP, but there may be some cases where you may have to see your own NHS GP due to the limitations of a virtual service.

You must not use the service for emergencies or urgent conditions as this may delay necessary treatment.

If you believe that you are in an emergency or life-threatening situation you should contact your local emergency services immediately, especially if someone:

• has difficulty or is not breathing

• you believe someone is having a heart attack or stroke

• has severe chest pain

• has severe abdominal pain

• has severe bleeding and it can’t be stopped

• has lost consciousness

• is in an acute confused state and/or is having fits which aren’t stopping

You may still need to see your own GP or contact the emergency services if the clinician you speak with feels it is necessary.

Following a consultation, if the GP feels it is clinically indicated and within remote prescribing guidelines, they may issue a prescription.

Prescriptions can only be issued in the name of the person who the appointment has been booked for. This is important for accurate medical record keeping.

For safety reasons, the GP may need to inform your NHS GP of the medication that has been prescribed.

Occasionally the GP may not be able to determine via a remote consultation if a prescription is appropriate and may advise that a face-to-face examination is required with your own GP.

Due to changes in guidelines for remote prescribing, healthcare professionals will no longer routinely prescribe antibiotics for adults presenting with acute respiratory infections and will instead recommend a face-to-face examination with your own GP.

Your current exemptions will not apply. If you require a prescription following your medical consultation you will be required to pay for the prescription medicine. For more details, please see the Prescription FAQs.

HealthHero will share notes with members/patients directly following their consultation, but only upon request.

HealthHero are able to share notes with your current NHS GP, if consent is provided, and the notes will be sent via email. The GP is sent a secure link to access the notes and update their system.

All patient data and records are stored on a patient management system, in a secure data centre which is only accessible with multi-factor authentication by authorised personnel.

Patient confidentiality is very important, any records remain confidential.

HealthHero doctors follow clear guidelines about sharing clinical notes with the patient’s own GPs; when appropriate and with patient explicit consent, they can send any relevant medical notes, including consultation notes for any prescriptions or referrals issued, to the patient’s own NHS GP.

Online

Our online pharmacy pathway is the preferred route for our members.

Members can choose to have their medication delivered to any nominated UK address. For delivery, there is a separate charge for postage and packaging. The online pharmacy will contact you directly to take payment online.

The dispensing pharmacy is open on weekdays from 9 am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm, UK time, excluding UK bank holidays.

The dispensing pharmacy will confirm the total cost and delivery options and you are under no obligation to proceed.

Nominated Pharmacy

The medication can be collected from a pharmacy of your choice. Since these are private prescriptions, the pharmacy will charge for the private medication.

If you are in the UK at the time of your consultation, we will issue an electronic prescription using a service provided by our partner, SignatureRx, which can be dispensed at a UK pharmacy of your choice.

When SignatureRx receives your prescription, you will be contacted by text and/or e-mail with a unique identification code for you to present to your chosen pharmacy so they can access your prescription and dispense your medication.

All pharmacies in the UK should accept prescriptions delivered through SignatureRx. You can find the pharmacies nearest to you and who are already familiar with the SignatureRx service here: https://signaturerx.co.uk/patient-guide/

Yes, as this is a private prescription service and not covered by the NHS. The medication can either be collected from a nominated pharmacy or delivered to a nominated address.

Nominated pharmacy:

The pharmacy will charge for the medication cost.

Delivery to nominated address:

There is a charge for postage and packaging and the online pharmacy will contact you directly to take payment.

Please note: the cost of medication will vary in different parts of the country and therefore the GP cannot give you an estimate of how much your prescription medication will cost you.

Yes, you can claim for any private prescription fees, but any delivery charges incurred are not claimable through your Simplyhealth plan.

Simplyhealth have partnered with Spectrum.Life, who are a whole-of-health digital partner that guides organisations and their people to thrive, delivering clinically backed digital health, mental health and wellbeing solutions. They integrate clinical services with advanced digital capabilities and 24/7 in-the-moment support, so that you can live and work well.

As an organisation, they are a registered provider of the UK EAP Association (EAPA) and are fully compliant with all standards of practice/professional guidelines set by the EAP Industry Association and the guidelines outlined by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Spectrum.Life offers emotional support and practical guidance through counsellors who provide immediate assistance and early interventions. They address issues like relationships, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, and depression, and can assess the need for short-term structured therapy. Beyond counselling, the service helps with a variety of practical, legal and financial, day-to-day issues, ensuring individuals receive appropriate support.

You, and anyone named on your plan over the age of 16 can access support via telephone, WhatsApp, or text, all of which can be accessed via the SimplyPlan App or your online Simplyhealth account.

Anyone over 16, named on your plan, will need to register separately. You can invite them through your online account. Just sign in or register and click this link to where you need to go to send the invite www.simplyhealth.co.uk/member-portal/add-dependant

If, following your telephone assessment, you are referred for 6 structured counselling sessions, you will be matched with a counsellor who can support your needs. After being referred, your counsellor will contact you within 24 hours and will arrange your first appointment with you.

There are a few different counselling options available to you, and the sessions can be carried out face-to-face, via telephone or via online video.

This service is designed to support in line with the short-term therapy model, of up to 6 sessions of structured counselling, if deemed clinically appropriate following a clinical assessment.

The service is not designed to provide long-term support or act as an alternative to emergency services. If longer-term support is required, then Spectrum.Life can signpost you to the best places and provide in-the-moment support whilst you seek alternative support.
Diagnosis of a medical condition or prescription of treatments is not covered under this service.

Spectrum.Life is a CQC accredited organization and has ISO-9001 Quality accreditation, which involves regular audits of our quality and risk management.

They have a senior clinical leadership team with global experience across Board, Mental Health and Primary Care, with 8 highly experienced Doctorate level clinical managers leading the clinical teams.

Yes, all interactions with the service are confidential between you and the counsellor. The counsellor will communicate transparently about how they handle your information and ensure that you are fully informed about your rights and their confidentiality practices.

Phio is the name of EQL’s digitally led physiotherapy solution for those concerned with musculoskeletal healthcare.

Phio Access is a digital support tool, where you are asked a series of questions about your injury or symptoms and are then signposted to the suggested care pathway for your needs.

Phio Engage is an App, and if this is your recommended clinical outcome following Phio Access, you will be able to use the Phio Engage App where you can get a personalised exercise programme, tailored to your needs. It helps you to manage your own care, while providing close communication with a clinician. Tracking your progress and making you an informed and engaged participant on your path to recovery.

You can find more information about Phio, here.

We’ve partnered with EQL, a digital healthcare company that have created Phio, you can assess Phio for muscle and joint problems.

The link to Phio Access can be found via the SimplyPlan App or through your Simplyhealth online portal. This service is available for Simplyhealth customers aged 18+.

You’ll need to register for a simple-to-use app, and a typical Phio assessment takes around 20 minutes.

The assessment is dependent on your specific condition and how many body parts you select. Your assessment is then used to guide you to your next personalised care steps.

Phio is a web-based App and is available on most smartphones, tablets and laptops with access to the internet.

Phio Engage is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App store and following your assessment, you will be emailed a link to download Phio Engage, if this was the assessment outcome.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, enter the email address where you received your invitation. We will send you a verification code to the same email address.

Simply enter your code and start your recovery.