Ambulance organisation South Central Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) has launched a new bikes-for-work scheme to boost the health and wellbeing of 3,300 employees serving the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire.
The new scheme, provided by Green Commute Initiative (GCI) and launched on 2 July 2019, is available to staff across the organisation’s 45 operating sites, which include 43 ambulance stations.
For its new scheme, SCAS has chosen not to take advantage of changes to the Department for Transport (DFT) guidance, announced in June 2019, which lifted the £1,000 cap on bikes-for-work schemes. However, the benefit will involve no exit fees and will provide employees with the opportunity to vary the period over which they pay for the bikes via salary sacrifice, from 12 months to 18 months.
GCI’s commission rates of 7.5%, compared to an industry average of 12.5%, mean that employees will be empowered to go to local and independent vendors.
The introduction of the scheme was announced at an internal event and via a digital flyer. To continue the communications campaign and to maintain interest and engagement, SCAS plans to host various future events at each of its different locations.
Linda Jones, health and wellbeing champion at SCAS, said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, Green Commute Initiative is aligned to our corporate values and offers flexible options for our staff.”