Your membership guide Benenden

Your membership guide An introduction to your personal healthcare services

5 MOST TRUSTED HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

FOR THE FIFTH YEAR 2011 - 2015

Benenden Personal Healthcare

Welcome to Benenden Thank you for choosing our personal healthcare. At Benenden your health and wellbeing comes first. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the services available now and in six months time, including how to request our help.

Find out more about our community

www.benenden.co.uk

Contents Your membership

02

Support and advisory services available now

03

More benefits from Benenden

04

Further services available after six months

05

Requesting our services

07

Our hospitals and clinics

09

Frequently asked questions

12

Important Information

16

Important telephone numbers: 24/7 GP Advice Line

24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline

0800 414 8247*

0800 414 8247*

Health concern support

Independent care advice

0800 414 8100*

0800 414 8100*

What your membership provides As a member, you can now call upon our healthcare services whenever you need them. Our round-the-clock GP Advice Line and 24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline mean we’re here to support you whatever the hour, day or night.

Whether you’re seeking a professional medical opinion or you want advice on a range of topics including relationship problems, money worries or bereavement. We’re here to help from day one.

A summary of our services:

✓ 24/7 GP Advice Line ✓ Diagnostic Consultations and Tests ✓ Treatment and Surgery ✓ Physiotherapy ✓ 24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline ✓ Health Concern Support See page 03 for further detail about our services.

02

Support and advisory services you can call on right now With Benenden Personal Healthcare whenever you need qualified medical advice, we’re just a phone call away. You can access these services from the day you join.

24/7 GP Advice Line You can’t always predict when you’ll need medical advice. That’s why our 24/7 GP Advice Line is open day and night.

✓ H ealth advice on a wide range of conditions

✓ A medical opinion whenever you need it ✓ Information about seasonal or holiday vaccinations

24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or you’re struggling to cope, you can speak to a qualified therapist whenever you need advice. Our 24/7 helpline can also direct you to our support services.

✓ R elationship problems ✓M oney worries ✓ Unemployment ✓ B ereavement

Health Concern Support Our Member Services team can help with many different health and lifestyle concerns by directing you to local, specialist support groups.

Independent Care Advice If you’re caring for a family member or need long-term care yourself we can help assess your circumstances, offer basic advice and provide detailed reports on care providers to help you make informed decisions.

03

Additional benefits from Benenden We can look after more of what matters to you. Our additional insurance and health assessments services offer you and your family the same level of care and support as your Personal Healthcare, plus they are available right now.

Health Assessments

Home Insurance

Starting at just £99, our health assessments give you the opportunity to understand your health better. Our team of healthcare professionals will review your health and offer practical advice on how you can make changes to help reduce your risk of developing conditions such as; heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes and kidney disease.

Your home is an extension of you. That’s why at Benenden, we’ve taken our expertise in looking after your wellbeing and created a home insurance cover that’s packed with great benefits such as; 24/7 Home Emergency Assistance, up to 20% No Claims Discount and personalised cover to suit you and your lifestyle.

Travel Insurance

Look after your loved ones’ health too

With Benenden Travel Insurance you can set off on your holiday reassured you’ll be in safe hands. We offer cover for all ages, can consider all medical conditions and throughout your holiday you can access 24/7 Emergency Assistance. In addition to this you can choose between three cover levels and optional add-ons such as; cruise cover or golf cover.

We understand the health of people you love is just as important as your own. That’s why your Benenden membership allows you to add as many friends and family to your membership for the same low cost rate of £8.71 per person, per month. See the enclosed form for more details.

Don’t forget to log into your members’ area for even more As a Benenden member you can access a range of exclusive rewards and discounts including; short breaks, attractions and theme park tickets, magazine subscriptions, exclusive product discounts and much more!

www.benenden.co.uk/memberwebsite 04

Introducing more healthcare services after six months Our full range of discretionary services work alongside the NHS and can be requested once you’ve been a member for six months.

Diagnosis When you’re ill, waiting for tests to find out what’s wrong can be very distressing. If there’s a long wait, we may be able to help you get a faster diagnosis for any condition at an approved hospital or clinic.

Treatment If your wait on the NHS for treatment or surgery is causing you distress, we may be able to help reduce this by funding appointments for a broad range of health conditions through one of our approved hospitals and clinics, including the Benenden Hospital in Kent.

05

Commonly requested services:

✓ Ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions

✓ Gastroenterology – stomach and bowel problems

✓ General surgery – hernia,

varicose veins, gall bladders

✓ Gynaecology – hysterectomies ✓ Orthopaedic – bunions, carpal tunnel, day case surgeries

✓ Urology – bladder, prostate ✓ Dermatology ✓ Opthalmology - Cataracts

Physiotherapy Muscular aches and physical pain can hold you back in life, but they shouldn’t have to. With over 700 approved clinics nationwide, we may be able to get you back to your normal routine after a course of physiotherapy or by offering selfmanaged exercises at home.

Psychological Wellbeing Service

Working alongside the NHS We work alongside the NHS and we don’t replicate the services available through them. That’s why with treatments for serious conditions like heart surgery, brain surgery and cancer, we advise that you use the specialist services already offered through the NHS.

If work, money, relationship or personal problems are making you feel anxious you’re not on your own. A qualified therapist can offer information about local services that can help with a range of topics.

Financial Help We may be able to help you if you are experiencing financial hardship as a result of treatment following a diagnosis of cancer or tuberculosis (TB). Any help we agree to offer would be to supplement the help given by the NHS, Social Services and other organisations.

06

Requesting our services Asking for help is easy

0800 414 8247* ✓ 24/7 GP Advice Line ✓ 24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline

0800 414 8100* ✓ Health Concern Support ✓ Independent Care Advice In six months, we’ll remind you that you’re eligible to request our full range of discretionary services:

✓ Diagnostic Consultations and Tests ✓ Treatment and Surgery ✓ Physiotherapy ✓ Psychological Wellbeing Service ✓ Financial Assistance

07

Your step-by-step guide to requesting our services: Step 1 Ask your GP what help is available on the NHS and how long the waiting lists are.

Step 2 If after exploring these options, you feel you need our help, ask your GP exactly what consultation or test you need.

Step 3 Call our Member Services Team on 0800 414 8100* One of our friendly advisers will talk you through the options available to you.

You will need to have the following information to hand: • Your membership number, which you can find on your membership card • Any information concerning the consultant, treatment or surgery • Details of how long you would be expected to wait to receive help through the NHS

Step 4 We will listen to your situation and have a conversation with you about your individual needs and circumstances. Then we’ll use our discretion to decide how we are able to help.

Please note: You will need a written agreement from us before you arrange any consultation or treatment services.

08

Comfortable, clean hospitals & clinics Benenden approved local hospitals We’ve given our seal of approval to a network of first class hospitals and clinics, including the Benenden Hospital in Kent. Your personal healthcare works alongside the NHS. So, if you’re facing a lengthy wait for a diagnosis or treatment we may be able to offer you a more prompt service at your nearest approved hospital or clinic.

Comfort and cleanliness comes first We only work with hospitals that meet our high standards, so whichever hospital or clinic you’re receiving treatment at you can relax knowing you’re in safe hands.

09

Hospitals 1 North West Independent Hospital Ballykelly 2 Kingsbridge Private Hospital Belfast 3 Nuffield Health Glasgow 4 Nuffield Newcastle Upon Tyne 5 Nuffield Health York 6 Ramsay Yorkshire Clinic Bingley 7 Fairfield Independent Hospital Merseyside 8 Claremont Hospital Sheffield 9 Spire Yale Hospital Wrexham 10 Nuffield Health Derby 1 11 Ramsay Fitzwilliam Hospital Peterborough 12 Woodland Hospital Kettering (Ramsay Health Care) 13 Ramsay West Midlands 14 Ramsay Winfield Hospital Gloucestershire 15 Nuffield Health Ipswich 16 Sancta Maria Hospital Swansea 17 Ramsay Berkshire Independent Hospital 18 Benenden Hospital Kent 19 Nuffield Health Wessex 20 Nuffield Health Exeter 21 Nuffield Health Plymouth 22 Ramsay Duchy Hospital Truro Paediatric Clinics 23 Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital 24 Nuffield Health Bournemouth Hospital 25 Nuffield Health Guildford 26 Frimley Park Hospital 27 Spire Murrayfield Hospital Edinburgh 28 Nuffield Health The Manor

27

3

4

2

5

6 7

8

9

10 11 13

12 15

14 16

17

20 22

19 24

28 25

23 18 26

21

www.benenden.co.uk/hospitals 10

11

Frequently asked questions Will my membership cost rise?

Benenden membership is one flat rate of £8.71 per person, per month. This will not rise with your age or the number of times you use our services. Please refer to key facts on page 21.

Is there a limit to the number of times I can ask for help?

You can only request assistance for one set of symptoms at any one time. We may ask you to decide which health concern you wish us to support. As our services are funded by our members’ contributions, we look at every request individually and the available community funds before we offer services to you.

Before you do ask for help please consider whether waiting for your NHS appointment will cause you distress.

There are some financial limits on our treatments and diagnostic services, these are: • Up to £1,500 per condition towards achieving a prompt diagnosis by an approved consultant or through our approved hospitals and clinics

Can you help me with pre-existing conditions?

Yes we can help you with pre-existing conditions.

We do not exclude anyone for pre-existing conditions, however we unfortunately cannot offer help with ongoing or persistent problems.

If I need treatment, can I choose which hospital I go to?

We have selected hospitals and clinics across the UK for you to use and one of these should be within an hour’s drive of your home.

You can choose the most convenient Benenden approved hospital or clinic or you can visit the Benenden Hospital in Kent.

However, there are some treatments that are not available at every hospital or clinic.

In these cases we will advise you about the nearest hospital to you offering this treatment.

When you are choosing where to attend, please bear in mind that we can only offer financial help with travel expenses in very specific circumstances.

• Up to £1,500 financial assistance for cancer or tuberculosis (TB) patients

12

What services are not included?

We understand that caring for our members is about more than simply the healthcare services we offer. It also means ensuring that your membership costs are affordable.

And that’s why there are certain areas that we’re currently unable to offer help with.

We’ll continue working hard to look at our members’ needs and extend our services, but unfortunately, we currently cannot pay for:

• Services which are delivered by non-UK, non-VAT registered organisations

• Retrospective services, where our written authorisation has not been sought; you will need to give us a call before seeing a specialist of your choice

For a free copy of our Self-Pay Treatment Guide call us on 0800 414 8100*.

• Diagnostic consultations with consultants who do not have an NHS post and are not registered with a Royal College such as the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians • Consultations with specialists such as radiologists, dentists, opticians or complementary therapists and pain management specialists • Cosmetic, breast, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental or maxillofacial surgery and surgery for transplants • Surgery for arterial, cardiac, neurological, complex orthopaedic problems or bariatric surgery • Cancer care

13

For further information you can call us on 0800 414 8100* to request a printed copy of our Guide to Services.

Can I pay for treatment myself?

In instances where we are unable to provide treatments, you or your family may wish to privately fund them.

Is there an annual contract for Benenden Personal Healthcare?

No. As long as your pay your monthly contribution, you’re a Benenden member.

You can cancel at any time by calling 0800 414 8480* between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). If you have added family to your membership, their healthcare benefits will also end. You are, of course, welcome to rejoin at any point.

I want to add family and friends to my membership, is there an age limit?

No, there are no age limits for adding family and friends to your membership. This means you can feel reassured that all of your loved ones can be covered by Benenden Personal Healthcare.

14

15

Charitable Assignment As a mutual organisation we have no shareholders and don’t pay dividends. We are fully committed to the concept of mutuality, believing that this is the best way of providing first class health and wellbeing support to our members.

To enable us to continue to provide a high level of service to all our members, which we feel can best be done within our current mutual status, an extra condition of membership was introduced from 1st September 2012. This condition means that members joining, or re-joining, after that date must agree to donate any potential windfall benefits to Benenden Charitable Trust.

What is a windfall benefit?

By a “windfall benefit� we mean any gain a member might make as a result of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited ceasing to be a mutual organisation. This does not include your other sources of income, savings or windfalls you might gain from, for example, a lottery win.

How will this affect me?

If you are an existing member If you were already a member prior to 1st September 2012, and have remained a member at all times since then, you are not affected by this condition.

However, if you cancel your membership, you may be affected if you decide to re-join in the future.

If you are a new member If you wish to become a member now, you will be asked to sign an agreement that will mean any windfall benefits (as summarised above) must be donated to Benenden Charitable Trust. Your normal voting rights are not affected by signing such an agreement.

What is the Benenden Charitable Trust?

Introduced in 2005, Benenden Charitable Trust exists to relieve hardship and distress by providing financial support to people in extreme need due to health problems.

The charity will consider applications from members, their nominees and, in exceptional circumstances, other individuals in need.

Grants can contribute towards the cost of medical treatment or services where we are unable to help through our core discretionary service, or other costs, such as respite care or the installation of specialist equipment.

16

Charitable Assignment Agreement 1. By applying to become one of our members you agree with us and the charity that you will transfer to the charity the right to any windfall which you would otherwise be entitled to receive as one of our members.

2. To ensure that the agreement you have entered into in paragraph 1 can be effectively carried out: a. you authorise us to transfer any windfall direct to the charity; b. you agree to sign any documents and to do anything else which may be needed to transfer any windfall, and your right to receive the windfall, to the charity; c. you appoint us and any of our officers and (as a separate appointment) the charity and any of its officers be your agent to take any of the steps mentioned in (b) above on your behalf; d. you authorise us to provide the charity with any information it reasonably requires about you and any relationship you have with us, and you consent to us and the charity holding and processing such information for this purpose; e. you cannot revoke the authority contained in (a) or (d) above, or the appointment contained in (c) above; f. you make this agreement with us (acting for ourselves and for the benefits of the charity), in return for us allowing you to become a member and you confirm that the charity may enforce the benefit of this agreement with us under the Contracts (Right of Third Parties) Act 1999.

Neither we nor the charity will release you from this agreement or vary its terms.

17

You will continue to be bound by your agreement even if we decide at some time in the future (and announce that decision by press release) that it is no longer in our best interests to continue with this agreement condition in respect of new members.

3. In these provisions: a. the

“charity” is the Benenden Charitable Trust or, if it ceases to exist, any other charity which becomes entitled to the benefit of the agreement you have entered into in paragraph 1; b. “business transfer” means a transfer of part or all of our business to any other person, firm or company; c. “demutualisation”

means a change (or proposed change) in our constitution or corporate status (whether or not involving or associated with a business transfer) which has the effect that we cease to be a mutual organisation; d. “ mutual organisation” means a company or other body whose constitution limits membership and voting rights wholly or mainly to persons purchasing goods or services from it or otherwise trading with it; e. “we”, “us” and “our” refer to The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and any company or other organisation which becomes entitled to all or part of its business; f. A “windfall” means any benefit to which you become entitled as one of our members on or in connection with any future business transfer or demutualisation; g. “you” and “your” refer to the member.

18

Our privacy policy This is a privacy notice for The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (‘Benenden’).

At Benenden we look after your details carefully.

We adhere to the requirements of the UK Data Protection Act 1998 and each Benenden organisation is registered on the public register of data controllers which is looked after by the Information Commissioner.

The information we collect about you: In order to provide you with our services, Benenden collects personal information about you from our websites, telephone conversations, emails and written and verbal communications.

The personal information we normally collect will include, for example: • Name, address, email, date of birth, telephone number, payment details • Information collected using cookies stored on your device(s) about your use of our online websites We may also collect sensitive personal data concerning health matters from or about you when you contact us.

We may supplement the information that you provide with other information that we receive about you from carefully selected third party providers.

Information about other people: If you provide information to us about any person other than yourself, you must ensure they understand how their information will be used and that you are authorised to disclose it to us, and to consent to its use on their behalf, before doing so.

19

Using your information: The main uses of your data are to: • To administer Benenden membership • To provide the services we are able to offer when members request assistance • To communicate with you about your membership • To provide products and services to the customers of Benenden Wellbeing and Benenden Insurance • To send you details of products, services and special offers that we think will be of interest to you, including of other carefully selected organisations, where you have agreed to receive these • To improve and develop our services and products • To carry out market research. We will always seek your consent first if we ever wish to use your sensitive personal information about health matters for market research purposes • To track and analyse activity on our website • To develop aggregated and anonymised information and statistics for the purpose of monitoring usage of our services to help us develop new services. Aggregated information may be shared with third parties but it will never include information that can be used to identify any individual

• When you become a member through Benenden Personal Healthcare, request assistance, purchase a Benenden Insurance or Benenden product or service or end your membership we may follow up that event with an enquiry or short survey about your experience to help us gauge member satisfaction • In order to provide our services and products, we may appoint other organisations to administer processes on our behalf. These may include, for example, printing and mailing houses and service providers Protecting your information: We take the security of your information seriously.

Any information we hold is stored securely and is accessed only by those authorised to access it.

Accessing your personal information: You have the right to ask us what information we hold about you. The same right applies to any other person whose personal information you provide us.

We may make a charge for this as permitted by the Data Protect Act. Changes to this privacy policy: Changes to this privacy notice are made occasionally so please come back to the website and read it through again from time to time.

A printed copy will also be available on request.

How to contact us to change permissions: If you wish to change any permissions you have given for us to contact you with details of products, services and special offers that we think will be of interest to you, including of other carefully selected organisations, you can unsubscribe by either using the unsubscribe link featured on emails, or by using any of the contact methods below: Email: dpmemberservices@benenden.co.uk Post: Member Services, Benenden, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG

Why our discretionary healthcare is better for you and all our members Our discretionary services work alongside the services you receive from the NHS to offer you help when you need it the most. If you request services like a diagnosis, treatment or physiotherapy we will assess your case individually and use our discretion to decide whether we can help. If help isn’t available elsewhere or you’re facing a long wait we’ll do our very best to say yes. This keeps your monthly payment so low and allows us to focus on being there for all our members.

20

About us - Keyfacts 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

21

Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden Personal Healthcare is offered by the Benenden Healthcare Society Limited which is a mutual not-for-profit friendly society (Register No 480F) owned by and run for its members.

Membership is available to anyone over the age of 16 who is normally resident in the UK. Members can add friends and family to their membership regardless of their age.

We are not a private medical insurer. We provide healthcare services on a discretionary basis, except treatment for TB, which is a contractual service.

Our services may vary according to the needs of the member, the resources available or over time.

The cost of membership is reviewed annually in June and any increase agreed by our delegate conference is implemented the following year.

Significant exclusions to our services are: appointments with radiologists, dentists, opticians or complementary therapists; IVF treatment; for cosmetic, breast, plastic, sterilisation, nerve, dental or maxillofacial surgery, or surgery for transplants; surgery for arterial, cardiac or complex orthopaedic problems; diagnostic consultations with consultants who do not have an NHS post or who are not registered with a Royal College such as the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians.

Some of our services have a six-month qualifying period.

Service restrictions apply to members and nominated family and friends living outside the UK. Members and nominated family and friends must call our Member Services Team on 0800 414 8100* for prior authorisation to make sure we can support the help required.

Members have 14-days from the day they receive their first membership pack and membership card after joining, to cancel their membership. If you do decide to cancel your membership, you can do so by writing to the Member Loyalty Department, Benenden Personal Healthcare, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. Alternatively you can email us at memberrelations@benenden.co.uk or call 0800 414 8480* (lines open 8am – 5pm Monday – Friday).

Please include your membership number in all correspondence. Cancellations beyond the 14-day cancellation period will not result in reimbursement of contributions already paid, unless you have paid your membership contribution annually in advance, in which case we will reimburse you the cost of the number of full months remaining on your annual payment.

11. Membership will continue until such time as a member decides to cancel or until their membership contribution stops being paid. A member may cancel their membership at any time without incurring penalty charges. All cancellations will take effect, and payments will cease, at the end of the month in which the cancellation is received.

If you have paid your membership contribution annually in advance and wish to cancel your membership, your membership will cease at the end of the month in which we receive your cancellation and we will reimburse you the cost of the number of full months remaining on your annual payment.

12. We do not provide advice to any new or existing member regarding the suitability or otherwise of Benenden Personal Healthcare for that individual. If you are unsure about whether membership is suitable for you, you should seek independent advice.

13. Members may become actively involved in how the Society is run by attending branch meetings.

14. If you work or have worked as a civil servant you can choose which branch you belong to. If you belong to one of our national branches but would prefer to join a branch nearer home, you can transfer to a local branch. Or if you have been allocated to a local branch but would prefer to rejoin colleagues in a national branch, please let us know.

You can e-mail thesecretary@benenden.co.uk or write to The Secretary, The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. 15. If you are not satisfied with our service, you should call us or write to us so that we can learn from any problems that occur. However, if you have been through our complaints procedure, and you are still unhappy with our response you can take appropriate matters to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

16. This summary does not contain comprehensive information about us and our services. Please refer to any additional information we have provided. Full terms and conditions are contained in our Rulebook and our Guide to Services which are available on our website www. benenden.co.uk or on request by calling 0800 414 8100*.

Registered office: Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG *Lines are open 8am – 8pm, Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays). Please note that your call may be recorded for our mutual security and also for training and quality purposes.

Advice and tips for a healthier, happier lifestyle At Benenden we’re committed to the health and wellbeing of all our members.

‘A Healthier You’ is our online hub of articles, advice and information to keep you and your family healthy throughout the year.

Free Be Healthy magazine Be Healthy is our quarterly health and wellbeing magazine, available exclusively to Benenden members.

It’s full of expert features, news, interviews, advice and everyday fitness tips about how to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle.

To find out more visit

www.benenden.co.uk/healthier-you 22

*Please note that your call may be recorded for quality and training purposes and for our mutual security.

Membership is available to anyone over the age of 16 who is normally resident in the UK. Members can add family and friends to their membership regardless of their age. Some services have a six month qualifying period. Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries.

Benenden Personal Healthcare is offered by The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, which is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society’s contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The remainder of the Society’s business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to Prudential Regulation Authority requirements for prudential management. No advice has been given. If in doubt as to the suitability of this product, you should seek independent advice.

Registered Office: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.

BOOK/MTH1/JW/08.16