Southern Cross offers free wellbeing services

Southern Cross Health Insurance is offering its members online GP consultations and access to counselling or wellbeing coaching completely free of charge for the next four months.

Wednesday, December 1st 2021, 10:13AM

Nick Astwick.

Southern Cross Health Insurance chief executive Nick Astwick says the offer of telehealth and mental wellbeing support is a significant investment and can be accessed by all Southern Cross members, regardless of their policy, from today to March 31, 2022.

The GP telehealth consultations will be available through CareHQ, an online GP consultation service made possible by Southern Cross and ProCare, and must be booked through the MySouthernCross app.

Members can also access up to three free counselling or wellbeing coaching sessions with Raise (formerly EAPworks), a Southern Cross Healthcare joint venture and which is a leading provider of support for New Zealanders wanting mental health and wellbeing assistance in New Zealand.

These services can be provided online or in person.

Astwick says it was important to the organisation that it could take practical steps to support members in ways they valued.

“We’re living in very uncertain times, and we feel that removing financial barriers to accessing online GP appointments or seeking support when things get tough is a very tangible way to help our members.

“Many New Zealanders will face mental health and wellbeing challenges at some time in their lives, and this has been brought into sharper focus during the pandemic," Astwick says.

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, New Zealanders have embraced online GP consultations as a safe and easy way to access primary healthcare, particularly during lockdowns.

“As New Zealand opens up and adjusts to living with Covid-19 in the community, we’ll see telehealth services become even more important, particularly to those who have to self-isolate at home,” Astwick says.

“Online GP consultations give members the flexibility to see a doctor if they’re away on holiday, or if their usual GP practice is closed over the summer holiday period.”

Southern Cross members can find out more about the CareHQ and Raise offer (which is subject to availability and to change) and read the full terms and conditions here.

Tags: Mental health Southern Cross Healthcare Wellness