"If I say we need an ambulance, I'm clinically trained, that should be enough. She says on one occasion, a "non-clinical" manager was not sure if they could call an ambulance for a caller she judged was at immediate risk of harm. Nicola (not her real name) worked on the helpline as a support counsellor for over two years. She says this meant some counsellors felt exposed or under-supported. It says it holds itself to the highest standard - both in the care it provides and the health and wellbeing of its employees.Īmy says her line manager was experienced and clinically trained, but adds that not all managers were. Health Assured says it uses a variety of methods to support callers and that the most appropriate route is decided by a detailed clinical assessment.
However, she says she was limited in the number of people she could refer to structured counselling - usually about 20% of calls - because of company targets. She says people contacted the helpline for a wide range of issues, including trauma, bereavement, work-related stress, anxiety and depression, and very often, they thought they needed therapy. We spoke to counsellors and team managers who described low morale, high staff turnover, and a frequent struggle to keep up with demand.Īmy (not her real name), started working as a counsellor at Health Assured last year. Its clients include NHS trusts, universities, and police forces. The body describes EAPs as a "highly valuable resource to employees".įile on 4 has spoken to 15 current and former employees of Health Assured, an EAP that provides support to 13 million workers in the UK and Ireland. Typically, they offer access to a helpline or short-term counselling services.Īccording to the UK Employee Assistance Programme Association, three quarters of the working population in the UK have access to one through their employer. One caller claims he was advised "to go on a date" with his wife after he said he was having suicidal thoughts.Įmployee Assistance Programmes - or EAPs - are intended to help employees deal with personal problems that might impact their wellbeing and performance at work. An anonymous woman wearing a headset in an officeĬlaims about one of the UK's biggest providers of workplace mental health services are to be investigated by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), it has said.īBC File on 4 has heard allegations that calls from vulnerable people to Health Assured were not always handled properly.