Blog. Why Virtual GP Access is a Game Changer for Hospitality Wellbeing

November 19, 2025 | Author Jeremy Gibson

In hospitality, every shift brings new challenges. Health concerns shouldn’t be left unchecked - especially with rising absence rates, staff shortages, and unpredictable rotas that put teams under constant pressure. Yet when illness strikes, waiting weeks for a GP appointment or taking time off for a consultation only adds further stress for employees and managers alike.

Removing barriers to healthcare

Hospitality Action’s EAP now includes Virtual GP access as part of our Wellbeing Plus and Total Wellbeing packages. This benefit overcomes traditional barriers, delivering fast, confidential medical support exactly when your team needs it.

What employees get:

  • Book appointments that fit around shifts, including evenings and weekends.
  • Connect with qualified GPs or Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) via secure app, phone, or video - often within hours.
  • Obtain sick notes, prescriptions, and referrals without needing to leave work or use holiday time.
  • Early medical advice helps resolve minor issues before they lead to major absences.


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Seamless, confidential support

Virtual GP isn’t just another perk - it’s seamlessly connected to Hospitality Action’s wider wellbeing services. By integrating instant healthcare with mental health and wellbeing support, your team receives truly holistic care for any issues that impact performance, absence, and morale.

Employers benefit by:

•    Reducing preventable sickness absence and short-term call-ins.
•    Building a workforce confident to seek help, free from stigma.
•    Preventing presenteeism and supporting faster employee recovery.
•    Saving managers time on administration and rescheduling.

Proactive wellbeing is good business

Offering Virtual GP access is much more than reacting to illness in your team. It shows your people - and future hires, that you trust and invest in them.

In a sector where the competition for talent is fierce and turnover is high - this level of care and support boosts recruitment, engagement, and retention.

Hospitality Action’s approach is rooted in hospitality’s real-life pressures, meaning every employer can offer best-in-class support that’s simple to deliver and easy for employees to use.

Start the Conversation That Could Change Everything.

Take action today to safeguard your team’s wellbeing and protect your bottom line.

The results: ready, reliable teams

With fast GP access, teams spend less time worrying about health logistics and more time focusing on the part of hospitality that matters - service, support and guest satisfaction. You’ll see:

•    Fewer delays and absences due to minor health issues.
•    More open conversations about wellbeing, reducing stigma 
•    Higher morale and a reputation as a caring, responsible employer.

Ready to futureproof your business?

Virtual GP access is available exclusively through our Wellbeing Plus and Total Wellbeing packages - a practical solution to today’s most pressing HR challenge: keeping talented people healthy and present in a demanding sector.

If you’re already an EAP client, simply email eap@hospitalityaction.org.uk or speak directly to your Account Manager to add Virtual GP access or learn more.

If you’re new to Hospitality Action’s EAP, get in touch via our contact form to discover how our Wellbeing Plus and Total Wellbeing packages could transform your business.