Insights from workplace protection provider Canada Life reveal employers who provided group protection insurance and access to holistic wellbeing service WeCare actively improved employee health and reduced workplace absence in 2025.
A sample survey of 2,480 people who had a WeCare virtual GP appointment last year found almost half (48%)1 avoided taking time off work as a result of using the service.
Almost the same number again (46%) returned to work more quickly following their consultation.
By using WeCare – a service delivered on behalf of Canada Life by Teladoc Health UK – group protection members and their immediate family were able to address more than one health issue as each GP appointment can last up to 30 minutes: longer than a typical NHS GP appointment.
Half (50%) of people seeking GP appointments also received a specialist medical referral, private prescription or fit note from their consultation2, to help address their medical situation.
More than 6,800 mental health therapy sessions were delivered via WeCare in 2025 by Teladoc registered mental health professionals3. A considerable number of people using the service reported positive improvements in their mental health in 2025 after receiving help via WeCare. Using a clinically recognised stepped care method of assessing and managing mental health:
- 82% of service users reported an improvement in overall mental health following their support sessions
- 64% said the support had improved their ability to cope
- 66% said they had reduced anxiety, and
- 76% said they felt increased happiness4.
Using WeCare also led to changes in the way people approached their health situation for the majority of 2,700 individuals who tapped into its Second Medical Opinion (SMO) service to review the diagnosis of an existing medical condition or check their treatment path5. By working with an in-depth GP manager and submitting medical records, they had their case reviewed by one of 50,000 global specialist medical experts. As a result:
- 82% of SMO users were recommended they change their treatment, and
- 28% received a change of diagnosis6
Recommended changes in treatment can vary from person to person. While a minor change in treatment could be to the dosage of medicines7, one in six (16%) SMO service users were recommended a major change in treatment8 across a range of specialties from obstetrics and gynaecology and dermatology to cardiology and oncology.
It’s not just in serious illness where getting help made a difference to employees – though some did seek reassurance about their cancer diagnosis and treatment. A second medical opinion was requested for obstetrics and gynaecological conditions in 19% of cases, and 80% of patients saw a change in treatment, while 3% of patients requested a second opinion about their cancer treatment, and 62% of these were recommended a change in their treatment9.
Commenting on WeCare usage, Chris Morgan, Head of Protection Product & Propositions at Canada Life, said:
“WeCare usage in 2025 is evidence that employers who provide access to holistic wellbeing services as part of their employee benefits can actively contribute to the building of healthier, more resilient workforces – and boost workplace productivity by lowering health-related absence.
“Whether employees are living with a skin condition or seeking help with their mental health, providing access to services that deliver fast, appropriate and tailored care helps workers stay in or return to work more quickly, while also feeling better informed and more in control of health management.”
Example: employee mental health impact
A woman in her 20s contacted WeCare’s mental health service for support with concerns over identity and self-esteem. She had a physical health condition which had caused her pain for a number of years, and was impacting her psychologically. Her symptoms were negative stress responses, cognitive patterns of worry and catastrophising.
She wanted to talk with someone in a confidential safe space, feel able to address her negative thinking and develop helpful strategies to deal with her situation and develop confidence.
Working with her therapist, she built ‘in the moment’ anxiety management techniques and an understanding of how to allocate her limited energy each day). This meant she could minimise stress with positive results, communicate her limitations better to others and lower self-expectations.
Having entered therapy with moderate psychological distress, she ended treatment with a healthy clinical range, a clear sense of her goals and a plan for moving forward.
