Epassi UK partners with Emerald to expand preventive healthcare access for 12 million employees 

Epassi UK has partnered with preventive health platform Emerald in a move aimed at expanding access to GP-led preventative healthcare support for millions of employees across the UK and Ireland. 

The partnership will make Emerald’s preventative health platform available through Epassi UK’s network, which serves 2,500 clients and 12 million employees.  

The collaboration reflects growing employer demand for more proactive workforce health support as businesses face rising sickness absence, pressure on productivity and increasing expectations around workplace wellbeing. 

Emerald combines in-clinic laboratory screening with ongoing private GP support and a digital platform that integrates wearable device data, sleep and activity metrics and medical history into one system. The platform is designed to help identify early health risks and support longer-term health management. 

The deal also highlights the growing shift towards connected and preventative workplace health models, where employers increasingly act as access points for healthcare support rather than relying solely on reactive absence management. 

Recent CIPD research cited in the announcement found employees are absent for an average of 9.4 days each year, while government estimates place the annual cost of poor workplace health to employers at around £85bn. 

Alexander Badalyan, CEO and co-founder of Emerald, said the partnership reflects growing demand for preventative, data-led healthcare support. 

“Epassi UK is setting the standard for connected, proactive benefits and we’re excited that this partnership will help more employees access proactive, doctor-led prevention,” he said. 

“Emerald is built to move beyond ‘test and forget’, connecting clinical screening with wearable data and medical history so members can take meaningful action and track improvement over time.” 

Employee health support is often fragmented across multiple providers, apps and services, which can make ongoing engagement and follow-up difficult. Emerald says its platform aims to consolidate health information, clinical guidance and ongoing support into a single experience. 

Emma Vivo, merchants director at Epassi UK, said employers are increasingly looking for joined-up healthcare support rather than isolated wellbeing interventions. 

“Demand for healthcare support is growing and is now a non-negotiable in modern workplaces,” she said. 

“At Epassi UK, we believe the future of employee health benefits is connected, personalised and proactive.” 

She added: “For employers looking to move beyond reactive absence management, this is the kind of meaningful, joined-up support that makes a real difference to both employees and business performance.” 

The partnership will also include educational content, webinars and in-person employer sessions covering topics including stress, longevity, women’s health and weight management. 

The move comes as employers increasingly invest in preventative and data-driven health support amid wider concerns about long-term workforce health, NHS pressures and the growing economic impact of sickness absence.