TAL has announced the appointment of a Head of Mental Health and a new partnership with leading expert in traumatic stress as its continues to build out its wider health strategy for staff and customers.
The life insurer has appointed registered psychologist, Glenn Baird to the newly created role of TAL Head of Mental Health, effective from 3 July 2017.
Baird joins TAL from his previous role as Director at SportsLife iQ which provided support and counselling for elite athletes in the areas of mental health and wellbeing, and has worked with various mental health stakeholder groups, such as Beyondblue and LivingWorks Australia.
His appointment follows the signing of a partnership with Professor Neil Greenberg, the Professor of Defence Mental Health at King’s College, London to develop best practice management of traumatic stress among claims case managers, medical professionals and other associated partners.
Under the partnership, TAL and Greenberg will conduct claims management workshops, produce videos for doctors and conduct events with partners such as First State Super, the New South Wales Police and EML.
Greenberg served in the United Kingdom Armed Forces for more than 23 years and is an academic psychiatrist based at King’s College London, UK, and a world-expert in traumatic stress, with a particular interest in trauma-exposed workers.
Both signings are part of TAL’s wider health strategy which the insurer stated aims to expand its ability to understand, manage and support the mental, physical and financial health of its people and its customers. The strategy also includes a dedicated Health Services team that supports TAL’s claims, underwriting, product and sales teams.
Both signings are part of TAL’s wider health strategy which the insurer stated aims to expand its ability to understand, manage and support the mental, physical and financial health of its people and its customers. The strategy also includes a dedicated Health Services team that supports TAL’s claims, underwriting, product and sales teams.
TAL General Manager of Health Services, Sally Phillips said mental health was the second largest category of claims after cancer and Baird’s appointment was to ensure TAL had the expertise to make objective decisions that reflected evolving medical best practice.
“Glenn will drive TAL’s mental health strategy both internally and externally, working with TAL’s broader Health Services team and multiple mental health groups to encourage the health and wellbeing of TAL’s people and of all Australians. This will include advising on both the prevention and return to health of customers suffering from mental health illnesses.
