“We believe in a happier, healthier, and more productive society, with individuals, families, and businesses being informed and empowered to make better health choices,” states Mark Philpott, CEO of NPH Group, a fully accredited Occupational Health, and Health and Well-being Company. Based out of the North-East of England, this organization is on the path to empowering individuals and offices by contributing to increased efficiency at the workplace and in life.
For businesses and individuals, the NPH Group is a one-stop shop for better occupational health and personal well-being. Their objective – is to deliver the highest quality of Personal, Professional, and Responsive services and products, “so you can experience dependable care.” Backed by the experience and decades of applied knowledge, and fronted by the latest technological innovations in occupational health and personal well-being, this company is enabling individuals and organizations to become the best versions of themselves.
The Pillars of Great Health
Existing to provide the best quality occupational health and well-being products and services, the NPH Group regards all people and businesses as individual units. Through working together, and providing guidance and support, they empower each individual, making them believe that they have it within themselves to form healthier habits and make better health choices.
“We’re both personable and professional and we’re run by medical experts who really care. We’re genuine and completely empathetic. This instils trust which helps us connect and grow, and maintain meaningful relationships with our clients.”
At their core are six pillars that form an overarching ecosystem of health: Employment Medicals, Health Surveillance, Attendance Management, Health Screening, Health Education and Drug and Alcohol testing. These pillars are structured to work alongside one another to build a full occupational health support system aimed at uplifting the health and boosting the performance of employees. All six pillars apply to the work and home settings, helping to keep businesses and self-employed individuals legally compliant, whilst promoting proactive approaches to health and well-being.
"My passion is to see people and businesses enabled to make better health choices and support their well-being in the face of an increasingly complex world with an ever-increasing number of influences on society."
Leading the Transformation
“My passion is to see people and businesses enabled to make better health choices and support their well-being in the face of an increasingly complex world with an ever-increasing number of influences on society,” states Mark.
Philpott joined NPH Group in 2016 to help the group’s four founding doctors grow and develop the business. Soon after joining, he set about reorganising people and systems, with a focus on defining their purpose, building the brand and strengthening the team. “This took around 2 years,” he says. Soon thereafter Covid-19 shook the world, putting health and well-being organizations on the frontline while setting off a completely new work trend – working from home.
For NPH Group, although an initial shock, the pandemic was treated as an opportunity. Quickly coming to the aid of the people, the group upgraded its services as well as digitized its portfolio to enable a healthy lifestyle even during trying times. “We pivoted quickly, supported national services grew rapidly and reinvested in new clinics, technology, brand development and people to build the basis of a business that we can now scale into what will be a national franchise model underpinned by our core services including online and retail of health-related products and services all designed to help people make better health choices at home and work,” shares Philpott.
Led by a team of passionate professionals, who find fulfilment in doing the “Little Things that make a Big Difference,” the group was able to successfully navigate through the pandemic and propel their organization to greater heights.
A “Major” Health Advocate
Before he joined NPH Group in 2016, Mark spent 9 years in corporate healthcare where he worked closely with the NHS. Before this Philpott served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for 10 years retiring as a Major. He developed extensive knowledge and skill from his experiences and responsibilities in the military, delivering hospital and community rehabilitation services in the United Kingdom and abroad, including during active military operations.
Mark completed his master’s degree in 2006 from University College London and his business training during a two-year Advanced Management Programme at Ashridge Business School in 2014, post which he joined NPH Group as Business Director. In the last 6 years, not only has he worked his way into the CEO role but has also been responsible for taking the business from £900K to a £7M turnover
All told, today Philpott has over 26 years of experience in the health sector. Needless to say, over the years his passion for the sustainable delivery of quality health care experiences has only increased. “Sustaining health is hard on many levels” he feels “and we have a socioeconomic responsibility to understand how we can work together to balance the health and well-being of the nation and improve all our lives.”
Mark also makes sure to spend enough time updating himself with the latest trends, regulations and compliances of the occupational health and well-being industry. He achieves this by being an active member of multiple networks where he regularly collaborates with people and thought leaders in his sector and others, gaining valuable insight from them.
In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his family as well as dominating triathlons. “Too many hours on the bike or in the pool can be a challenge but finding time to exercise and pursue a passion outside of work has been key to finding physical and mental balance.”
If he could have dinner with anyone living or dead, it would be Edmond Hillary – “because I would love to have understood his mindset behind his passion for exploration, and philanthropy and the journey he went on to become the first person to summit Everest.”
Technology Enabled
“Technology is a major enabler for clients to access our services,” says Mark. This is evident in NPH’s remote home and organizational assessments, health surveillance, medicals, testing and education services that they offer to individuals and businesses on their digital platform. “Our online shop and sister site, Tests2Go.world, provides online health screening and testing products, including but not limited to COVID-19 lateral flow tests for personal use and awareness, travel, business, events and venue testing, and monitoring, all supported by our online (browser-based) and mobile (Android and iOS) verification and monitoring technologies,” shares Philpott.
Additionally, NPH Group has simplified the process of reporting test result data through the online platform, making the entire process, from capturing the required data to submission easy. This simple, secure and approved way reports test results within 2 hours, enabling businesses to stay legally compliant at all times.
As more and more people are now accessing and managing their data online, utilising technology improves decision making and allows easier access to appointments, recalls etc. For the clients of NPH Group, it is also a valuable addition in terms of easier access to products and services which help improve the health and well-being of people in the workplace and at home. Not to mention, in today’s always-on world, the group’s 24X7 call centre provides customers with round-the-clock support, resolving all queries and issues at lightning speeds.
Overcoming Challenges and Way Forward
Over the years, occupational health and personal well-being have made huge advances. Whether it is the constant updating of regulations and compliances, dealing with unforeseen issues like the pandemic, the use of new technologies or something else, the health and well-being sector never stops developing. Moreover, the occupational health and well-being space, although a niche market has emerged to be a very competitive one in many respects.
“Our response to the opportunity to differentiate is centred on enabling businesses to support their employees with making better health choices and looking to the future of preventative health care that can be seen as a benefit to businesses and individuals whilst also reducing the burden on public health services,” states Mark.
As a business NPH is currently, developing a training and development pathway for people wanting to get into occupational health and well-being to create a sustainable supply of face-to-face and online health care professionals. They are also expecting to embark on an Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Northumbria University, subject to a successful application to the UK Government, to explore ways over two years to improve critical decision making on projects which will impact the health of business, and nations.
Looking ahead, NPH continues to spread its footprint around the country, which will soon be visible around the world. By inflicting persistent positive change, recognising every challenge as an opportunity for personal and business improvement and nurturing and supporting people on their own journey to personal fulfilment, the group continues to create ground-breaking advancements in the occupational health and well-being space.
