HCB partners with Healix Health Services to pioneer new ‘Young Performers Health Trust’ for Elmhurst Ballet School

Working in partnership with Healix Health Services, HCB are proud to have designed a Health Trust to meet the specific needs of Elmhurst Ballet School.  A much needed solution was found to support the specific medical needs of these elite students during their vocational training.  HCB’s Karen Gamble worked tirelessly on this project and has had both the vision and expertise to make it work so successfully.  

Elmhurst Ballet School, the Birmingham based vocational school in association with Birmingham Royal Ballet are delighted with the successful first year of pioneering, tailoring and delivering a unique and bespoke healthcare provision for its young students in full-time dance training, The Young Performers’ Health Trust Scheme.

The offer, believed to be a sector first, allows the school to provide specialist healthcare which responds to the specific needs of its young dance students aged between 11 and 19.

If required, any of the almost 200 ballet students in the school’s daily care, will receive the most appropriate treatment in the most appropriate setting, and at the most appropriate cost.

A year ago, Elmhurst took the bold decision to step away from traditional healthcare providers who had not always had the capacity to meet the healthcare demands of young, elite performers. The school trains professional dancers and this level of dance specialism places extra physical and mental demands on its young students. Elmhurst needed more freedom to act swiftly in supporting injured students, better and quicker access to mental health support, and reduced administration and waiting times to allow its specialist in-house clinicians to provide the best care.

Annelli Peavot, Elmhurst Ballet School’s Assistant Principal responsible for Health, Wellbeing and Safeguarding, said:“Although there had been due diligence and careful planning, it remained a step into the unknown to develop our own Health Trust, but we are delighted to share the positive benefits we have found as a result. The costs to our parents has reduced as we have been able to move away from a policy excess. We are able to negotiate with our providers to get the best price for their services, and we have expanded the expertise within our team. There are now generous allowances for physiotherapy with this being more than doubled against that of traditional policies, and we have a fully funded specialist Adolescent Mental Health Nurse.”