Expert Paediatric Care When Your Child Needs It Most

At Kinsail, we understand that affordable childcare is just one piece of the puzzle for working parents. When your little one starts nursery, they're entering a world of new experiences – and inevitably, new germs. Every parent knows that sinking feeling: your child wakes up with a temperature at 6:30am, and you're immediately juggling impossible questions. Is it serious? Should they stay home? Can I make that important meeting?

This is why we're excited to partner with Joey, a service that shares our mission of making working parents' lives genuinely easier. Whilst Kinsail helps you save up to 47% on childcare costs through salary sacrifice, Joey ensures you have expert paediatric guidance when those inevitable health concerns arise – without the stress of emergency appointments or frantic Google searches.

Dr. Abhi Bhansali, Joey's founder and a GP who became a parent himself just five months ago, sat down with us to discuss how accessible healthcare fits alongside affordable childcare in supporting working families. Here's what he shared about the challenges parents face and how Joey is changing the game.

Hi Abhi, thanks for chatting with us today. Tell us about Joey - what inspired you to create it?

Thanks for having me! The inspiration was simple - our healthcare system hasn't been designed for the needs of children and young people, and I was tired of seeing it fail families every single day as a GP.

Only 1 in 3 GPs receive meaningful paediatric training. Parents are waiting 18 weeks to see a paediatrician, only for the issue to have resolved or become worse. Or they'd spend the night in A&E with their toddler, get given Calpol, then drag themselves to work the next morning exhausted.

I kept thinking, surely there's a better way: why can't parents just message a doctor when they need help? Why does getting advice about a rash require appointments, travel, and time off work?

That's how Joey was born - paediatric healthcare that fits around family life, not the other way around.

Becoming a dad five months ago completely changed how I think about Joey. I've gone from being the person giving advice to being the one at 3am googling "is this rash normal?" - and honestly, it's been humbling.

Now every feature we build, every process we design - I'm asking "would this actually help me at 6:30am when I'm shattered and my son's running a temperature?" Which means we're building something I genuinely need to exist.

Why do you think workplace benefits like Kinsail's nursery benefit and health support services like Joey work well together?

Becoming a parent is life changing and honestly, it's hard. We're both trying to give parents that extra headspace, one less plate to spin. I love that Kinsail helps families afford childcare. Joey helps parents navigate the constant health concerns that come with having young children in nursery.

When your child picks up every bug going around nursery (which they will!), having quick access to paediatric guidance means fewer panicked days off work, less guilt, and more confidence. Both services say: "We get that you're a working parent. Let's make this easier."

Many working parents say their biggest challenge is knowing whether their child is "ill enough" to stay home from nursery. How does Joey help?

This is THE question we answer most - and it's no surprise. Individual nursery policies often vary from national guidance, and you're expected to make these calls at 8am when no GP is available for this kind of advice.

What's worse? You're navigating this alone while juggling so much - guilt about missing work, pressure from employers, and genuine medical uncertainty. So you turn to Google, which transforms every sniffle into something terrifying. Research from the Lullaby Trust shows 68% of parents have low trust in online health information and 70% feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice - but where else can you turn at 7am when your toddler wakes up with a rash?

Joey cuts through that noise. We give evidence-based guidance on what's actually contagious or serious versus what's manageable. When your child should stay home, we explain why and for exactly how long. When they can go in, we tell you that too.

The feedback we hear most? Joey parents feel this newfound confidence. They're empowered to make the right call - whether that's going to work or staying home - because they actually understand what they're dealing with, not just guessing based on a frantic 7am Google search.

What types of health concerns do parents most commonly bring to Joey?

"Too serious to ignore, not serious enough for A&E" - that's our sweet spot. Rashes are the number one "is this serious?" question we get, followed by eczema, constipation, allergies, and those mystery symptoms that Google turns into something terrifying.

We're particularly good at eczema - so much so that we're launching a dedicated eczema programme. It's one of those conditions where proper, ongoing guidance makes all the difference, rather than a rushed 10-minute GP appointment every few months.

What sets us apart? We're child health specialists. Children aren't just small adults - their bodies work differently, their symptoms present differently, and you need someone trained specifically in children's health to spot what matters.

That said, we know our limits. About 93% of concerns get resolved with guidance and reassurance at home. For that other 7% where something does need urgent attention - we make sure families know exactly what to do, where to go, and why it's urgent.

What's your response time like? Working parents often need answers quickly, especially early mornings.

We typically respond within 30 minutes between 8am-8pm, seven days a week including bank holidays - which parents tell us feels almost miraculous compared to waiting weeks for an NHS appointment.

Message us while making breakfast, we'll respond while you're on the train to work, you follow up at lunch - no appointments to book, no scrambling to find a quiet room for a video call. It genuinely fits around your life, not the other way round.

One parent told us they finally felt like they could be both a good parent and a good employee - because they weren't constantly leaving meetings or taking time off for appointments that could have been a conversation.

How is Joey different from Googling symptoms, using NHS 111, or trying symptom checker apps?

We're real children's health clinicians - doctors, midwives, nurses etc reviewing your child's specific situation, not an algorithm or AI chatbot. Google shows you worst-case scenarios. NHS 111 often escalates straight to A&E. Symptom checker apps give you flowcharts, not clinical judgment.

With Joey, you're getting personalised guidance from someone who can actually see your child through photos, understand their medical history, and factor in the context that matters - like whether they're still playing happily or seem genuinely unwell.

We help you feel secure managing things at home when appropriate, and we escalate appropriately when something does need urgent attention - but with proper context, so you understand exactly what's happening rather than just panicking. That's why 93% of our consultations get resolved at home, saving families unnecessary A&E trips, time off work, and stress.

What advice would you give to new parents starting their nursery journey about managing childhood illnesses?

First - you are never a nuisance. Whether you message us, call your GP, or turn up at A&E, seeking help for your child is never an overreaction.

Trust your instincts. You know your child better than anyone - if something feels off, that matters.

Practically: check the UK Health Security Agency's guidance on infection control - it's often clearer than individual nursery policies. Keep immunisations up to date, and make hand hygiene fun with songs and colourful soap.

The reality? Your child will get ill a lot, especially in their first year of nursery. But how they are overall often matters more than any single symptom - are they still playing, eating, drinking? That's what's hard to judge on your own, which is exactly why we're here.

And one last thing: not every infection needs antibiotics. It's always okay to ask questions about when they're helpful.

What's been the most surprising or rewarding feedback you've received from parents?

The most rewarding feedback isn't about the medical advice - it's about how parents feel. They tell us they feel heard, that we actually care, and that there are no stupid questions.

"My kids' things get dealt with a lot quicker with Joey, so I have a lot less 'mum guilt'." - Working mum of 2

Parents also talk about having one place they can go for any concern - not bouncing between the GP, 111, Google, and nursery advice. That consistency matters.

"We were really struggling to see the same GP twice; with Joey I really feel like we've had continuity of care." - Joey user since May 2024

What surprises me most is how word-of-mouth has driven our growth - parents find us because another parent recommended us in a WhatsApp group at 11pm when their toddler's covered in spots.

Thanks to Dr. Abhi for chatting with us at Kinsail. Joey is helping working parents get expert paediatric advice without appointments, waiting rooms, or time off work.

The first 50 Kinsail families get their first consultation free - claim yours now with code KINSAIL25 at askjoeynow.co.uk/kinsail

When your child wakes up with a new rash, you'll be ready.