Supporting group-wide wellbeing at Maria Mallaband care group
See how Maria Mallaband, one of the UK’s largest independent care providers, uses Simplyhealth to support workforce wellbeing, helping colleagues access preventative care, improve engagement and feel supported at work.
Corporate healthcare plans that support those who care for others
Maria Mallaband Care Group is a leading provider of care services across the UK, with over 80 sites and around 5,500 employees. Faced with unprecedented industry challenges, MMCG’s leadership team has focused on strengthening its business’ cultural and values strategy underpinned by dignity, care, quality, inclusivity, ambition and integrity. With a strong commitment to be a positive inspiration and influence for the people they work with, live with and support.
- Maria Mallaband Care Group case study
"We believe the benefits of the Simplyhealth Plan is making a real difference to our colleagues' wellbeing and brings to life one of our core values: caring"
Farouk Mangera, 2024
Health cover for social care staff - physical, mental and preventative
Health and social care teams face unique pressures, from physically demanding work to emotional strain. Simplyhealth helps employers provide accessible, everyday healthcare that fits around real working lives.
These benefits include:
Dental and optical cover
Mental health support services
24/7 online GP and nurse access, designed around shift patterns
Digital muscle and joint pain assessments
Employees also have access to a range of on-demand discounted and self-pay services, including:
Physiotherapy and MSK support
Nutrition and lifestyle guidance
Women’s health support
At-home health testing services
Neurodiversity assessments
Coaching support for sleep, stress, parenting and menopause
Why is employee health cover important in social care?
Average absence levels have increased to 9.4 days per employee per year, compared with 7.8 days in 2023 and 5.8 days in 2022.
Source: CIPD Report 2025
Aligning to your values with affordable wellbeing solutions for care providers
MMCG said: "Simplyhealth helps us to support colleague health and wellbeing whilst engaging and retaining our workforce during a challenging time for the care sector. It is a core part of our benefits offering, providing meaningful, affordable everyday healthcare that helps colleagues, new and old, feel valued throughout their career at MMCG.
"This support is especially important during the ongoing cost‑of‑living pressures, ensuring our people and their families can access the care they need."
"Simplyhealth plays a key role in bringing our people strategy to life, supporting our ambition to make MMCG a great place to work by improving colleague wellbeing, reducing financial stress and strengthening our overall people proposition"
Farouk Mangera, HR Operations Director of MMCG, March 2026
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Measuring impact and engagement with Simplyhealth
5,000+ colleagues and their family members are benefiting from the Simply Health Plan
Engagement with staff improved substantially with positive feedback from colleagues who appreciate the plan
Maria Mallaband Case study
The number of employee policy holders increased by 5.4%
Between 2024 to 2025
Claims increased by 18%. Demonstrating growing trust and awareness of the benefit
From 2024 to 2025
Downward trend both in labour turnover and sickness rates
Maria Mallaband Case Study
What Maria Mallaband colleagues say about their health cash plans for care homes
It’s an all in one platform for us, it gives me access to GP appointments, dental coverage, and the option to be reimbursed towards medical prescriptions which makes me feel really confident and reassured. It gives me that extra boost needed for me to do my job well and give quality care to my residents”
Iraj, March 2026
“I experienced a dip in my mental health so I accessed the counselling services through Simplyhealth. I was able to see a counsellor in under a week. It’s so easy to use the app, you just go online and everything is at the touch of a button. It does make you feel really valued as an employee”.
Joanne, March 2026
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Looking ahead: Building a more data‑driven approach to wellbeing
As with every business, MMCG expects a challenging future with economic and political headwinds inevitably influencing colleague behaviours. They plan to continue developing their wellbeing strategy using insight and data to better understand impact and improve access.
Next steps with Simplyhealth:
Drive improved usage of the Simplyhealth plan through targeted communications and wellbeing campaigns
Continue to engage with colleagues and use data and insights to better understand colleague needs and priorities
Strengthen our employer value proposition to attract, retain, and engage talented people, ensuring we remain a great place to work
Simplyhealth will continue to support MMCG, ensuring their wellbeing offer remains relevant, accessible and effective for colleagues across health and social care.
"Wellbeing support remains at the heart of our ambition to make MMCG a great place to work, ensuring it remains accessible, relevant and responsive to the needs of our diverse workforce during a time of economic, social and legislative change."
Farouk Mangera, 2026
Ready to support social care staff wellbeing?
Get your business health plan quote today and take the first step towards a healthier workplace.
Some of these services are provided by third party providers.
References
High turnover: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/news-and-events/news/latest-social-care-sector-and-workforce-data-published, Burnout: www.who.int/news/item/25-04-2024-202404_protecthw_mentalhealth, Budget constraints: www.florence.co.uk/blog/social-care-funding/
Keep Britain Working Review: Final report - GOV.UK summarises evidence that structured workplace health-support programmes lead to improved health and organisational outcomes. www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-britain-working-review-final-report/keep-britain-working-final-report
Headline Social Worker Information, Feb 2025 cite that social workers had an average of 10.8 sickness days over the previous 12 months, which equates to around 183,000 working days lost. www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data/workforceintelligence/resources/Reports/Regulated-professions/Headline-social-worker-information-February-2025.pdf
Attract skilled carers: www.peoplekeep.com/offers/employee-benefits-survey, strengthen loyalty: www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2025/07/uk-employers-encouraged-to-embrace-transparent-rehabilitation-support-to-boost-workforce-wellbeing
www.skillsforcare.org.uk/news-and-events/news/latest-social-care-sector-and-workforce-data-published
5,000 workplace injuries recorded for UK care home employees: HSE (RIDDOR data 2024)
www.unison.org.uk/news/2024/04/mental-health-absences-adding-to-nhs-staffing-crisis/