Bupa has become the Official Healthcare Partner of ParalympicsGB, in a three-year partnership to provide British Paralympians with the highest quality healthcare on their journey to success at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games – and beyond.
Through Bupa, the athletes will be provided with the medical expertise needed to reach the peak of their performance as they look to build on their impressive achievement of 124 medals, across a record breaking 18 different sports, and a second place medal table finish at Tokyo 2020. Bupa will support Paralympic athletes across the whole range of sports preparing for Paris 2024.
The partnership will include practical health assessments designed to give a full overview of health and wellbeing to prevent and address concerns, as well as physical and mental health services.
Through the partnership Bupa and ParalympicsGB will also collaborate to challenge perceptions around disability in society, celebrating difference and diversity in order to help everyone achieve their goals, while also promoting inclusivity in business, healthcare and other areas of life.
The partnership was launched at Bupa’s offices in Salford, Manchester, on Wednesday 6 July, by Bupa Global & UK CEO Carlos Jaureguizar, alongside Mike Sharrock, Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association, and Aaron Phipps MBE, gold medal-winning wheelchair rugby player.
Aaron Phipps MBE, Wheelchair Rugby Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, says: “Throughout my life and sporting career I’ve worked to challenge perceptions around disability so it’s great to see Bupa and ParalympicsGB partnering to bring this to the forefront of our society. There shouldn’t be any barriers to anyone reaching their full potential in life and the more we can spread that message, the more we can achieve together.
“To compete at an elite level it’s vital that we have access to the highest quality medical advice and support. Being able to utilise the UK’s top clinicians and services through Bupa has the potential to give us all a real competitive edge.”
Carlos Jaureguizar, CEO for Bupa Global & UK, says: “Paralympians show us that there’s nothing you can’t do when you put your mind to it. It’s this determination that inspires us in our mission to change the face of healthcare.
“Working with ParalympicsGB gives us the unique opportunity to understand the needs of more people in society, ultimately reflecting the diverse needs of our customers. It’s important to celebrate our diversity and each of our differences, in order to make a tangible shift in perceptions of disability in our society. Together, we want to inspire the next generation to believe that anything is possible.”
Mike Sharrock, Chief Executive at the British Paralympic Association, says: “For everyone, whether you’re an athlete or not, looking after your health and wellbeing is crucial and I am delighted this partnership will give ParalympicsGB athletes access to an array of additional support for their mental and physical wellbeing. We’re proud to be partnering with Bupa, and it’s clear based on their experience of working with Paralympic athletes and organisations around the world that they will be just as keen as we are at ParalympicsGB to make this a truly meaningful partnership, driving the change we want to see in perceptions of disability.”
The partnership with ParalympicsGB continues a long-standing history of partnering with national Paralympic associations for Bupa. In 2007, Sanitas, part of Bupa Group, became the Official Medical Provider for the Spanish Paralympic Committee and has since supported over athletes at several Paralympic Games. Since then, Bupa has gone on to support Paralympians in Poland and Chile – providing healthcare support to the Paralympic teams and developing health and wellbeing initiatives and programmes for their athletes.
