OXFORD, England, February 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxfordshire Bioscience Network Ltd (OBN), the Oxford based not-for-profit biotech trade association is pleased to announce that they have secured a deal with BUPA which will allow the employees of their member companies to receive highly competitive private medical insurance (PMI) within a unique group scheme. The deal comes about as a result of a collaboration agreement between OBN and Focus Independent Insurance Consultants that was negotiated in late 2009.

'We are delighted that Focus has been able to give our members such favourable private healthcare insurance rate through BUPA, the UK's largest private healthcare provider. Providing such excellent terms to our member companies will effectively allow our small and medium sized companies to purchase PMI collectively, achieving a price only normally attainable by a very large corporation', Jon Rees, CEO of OBN commented. This will really give a leg up to those struggling under the current economic conditions.'

Under the terms of the scheme, member companies pay a single flat fee per employee (or family member) covered, regardless of age or medical history which grossly simplifies the decision-making process when comparing savings under the OBN PMI scheme with existing arrangements. The scheme is believed to the first such arranged by any life sciences trade association worldwide.

We can calculate savings under the OBN PMI scheme once a simple letter of authority has been issued, and we have already seen cases where savings were of the order of five figures, and where even significant sized companies saved - so the prospects for smaller companies within the scheme are likely to be very good, said Gary Hunt, Partner at Focus Independent Insurance Consultants.

For further information, please contact: Jon Rees CEO, OBN Tel: +44(0)1865-594642 Gary Hunt / Rob Evans FOCUS Tel: +44(0)1865-813301 Anna Dunphy De Facto Communications Tel: +44(0)20-7861-3838

SOURCE: Oxfordshire Bioscience Network (OBN)

CONTACT: For further information, please contact: Jon Rees, CEO, OBN, Tel:+44(0)1865-594642; Gary Hunt / Rob Evans, FOCUS, Tel: +44(0)1865-813301;Anna Dunphy, De Facto Communications, Tel: +44(0)20-7861-3838