Moves are afoot in the world of employee healthcare with the acquisition of Stroud-based Business Health Ltd by the Zello Group.

United Arab Emirates-based Zello, which delivers international workforce healthcare services and personalised health monitoring technology, is making its first UK move with the acquisition.

Andrew Hames, founder and CEO of Zello said: "The move will see the business bring more accessible, affordable and urgently required occupational health and wellbeing services to small and medium sized businesses in the United Kingdom."

Launched in 2008, Business Health, which is based in Slad, has seen turnover increase year-on-year since its inception, servicing both local and global clients in manufacturing, civil services, financial, legal, HR and educational industries.

The company's work portfolio states: "Services include fit for work and periodic medicals, sickness absence, legal compliance, employee support, policy development and advisory, health surveillance, mental and musculoskeletal health services, specialised educational and knowledge sharing courses, wellness programmes, health promotion, and health risk assessments."

It adds that its mission is to optimise "company and employee performance by creating a healthier and happier workforce".

Zello points to a recent study, released by The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), which revealed alarming statistics: currently in the UK 2.5 million people (1 in 16) are economically inactive due to long term sickness, more than 11 million people are living with long-term conditions that can affect their ability to work, and of the four million people living with mental health conditions only two million are employed.

From the UAE, Zello works as a "global health services and technology innovator specialising in monitoring the health and wellbeing of both clients' people and operations - optimising their performance in complex environments."

Clients in the UK supported through Zello's integrated services division will gain value from the move.

A spokesman for Zello added: "Dr Andrew Dickson, currently managing director of Business Health, will take up a strategic role as senior medical director EMEA, continuing to deliver valuable occupational health and wellbeing services to clients and bringing his 27 years of experience to the company.

Mr Hames added that the strategic acquisition will help transform the provision of occupational health and wellbeing solutions for SMEs, which are five times less likely to have occupational health support than large businesses.

He said: "In the first instance, helping both employers and employees understand occupational health and its benefits is key in addressing access issues. As it stands only 50 percent of workers in the United Kingdom have access to such services. We are looking to change that."

He added: "Andrew and his team are market leaders and highly respected within the UK occupational health service sector; we are very proud to now be expanding on this expertise while keeping the personal touch. Our mission is to provide a suite of robust and innovative occupational health and wellbeing services that ensures access for all and a fit, healthy and supported workforce".

Dr Dickson added: "SMEs and the civil service are under real pressure post Covid to provide occupational health and wellbeing benefits to their employees, reducing time off through sickness and ill health. We are advising clients on the most up-to-date prevention methods to improve the health and wellbeing of their workforces."