Occupational health firm appoints new MD as it eyes further expansion

Occupational Health provider Fusion OH has appointed Clare Hurley as its new Managing Director as it looks to double in size over the next five years.

The Caerphilly-headquartered company works with some of the UK’s largest businesses including Biffa, Nationwide Building Society and Dyson Technology, and provides a range of services including health & wellbeing support, mental health services and sickness absence management. The business has 52 members of staff and is actively recruiting as it looks to grow its service, sales and marketing teams.

Clare joined the business 26 years ago while it was still part of National Britannia and was with the company through a number of changes, including its evolution into Santia Consulting before being acquired by the Alcumus Group. Then in 2016 the senior team completed a management buyout of the Occupational Health division and formed Fusion OH.

Clare started at the grassroots of the business at the age of 23, working her way through a number of roles including PA to the Chairman before entering management and joining the senior leadership team, eventually becoming Director of Customer Care prior to her new appointment as MD.

Speaking of her appointment, Clare said her focus would be to continue Fusion’s strong growth by becoming the leading workplace health provider: “People and businesses really saw the importance of occupational health during the Covid Crisis and through the fantastic work of our team, we were able to provide services that kept our clients operational during a really tough time.

“Now, we will continue to grow our offering, maintaining our core practice of occupational health, but widening our services to become a best-in-class provider of total workplace health. That will involve us creating automated care pathways so that workers are supported from day one of referral right the way through to final outcomes.

“Traditional occupational health can sometimes feel very systematic – with support points only being reached after reports have been processed, which can take time. With home working and the rising awareness of the need for mental health support, it’s important that staff are continuously looked after from minute one to full wellness – and that’s what our service will provide.

“The next few years are going to be very exciting for Fusion OH; we’re on a huge recruitment drive at the moment for more nurses, technicians, marketing and salespeople, and I’m delighted to be working with the senior team as we lead on the growth of the company, and hopefully set new standards for the industry.”

Clare’s new role also marks the retirement of two Directors; whilst the previous MD Bill Bartley is still in place with Fusion as a Director, Jas Kaaba has taken on the new role as Chairman.

Speaking of Clare’s appointment, Jas said: “Clare is a natural leader and her decades of experience with the business gives her the perfect foundation to take us forward. However, more than her leadership, Clare has a vision and a passion for where she wants this business to be. We share this passion and are excited to take the next steps into what I believe will prove to be our largest period of growth in our history.”