- Conference
- 2010 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 20 April 2010
- Decision
- Carried
Conference expresses its sympathy to those health workers and their families that have become stranded abroad due to the flight restrictions caused by the Icelandic volcano.
However, Conference has become increasingly concerned at reports from NHS Trusts and other NHS employers that staff who are stranded and phoning in are being told that they will have to use up their annual leave entitlement and in some cases that they will not be paid if they have already used their entitlement.
Given the distressed circumstances in which stranded people find themselves, Conference would expect NHS employers to offer support and help rather than penalties.
Conference therefore calls upon the SGE to:
1.Raise this matter immediately with NHS Employers and the Department of Health in all 4 countries of the UK.
2.Call upon the NHS Staff Council to agree emergency advice to NHS Employers to fulfill their duty of care to employees by offering help and support to stranded health workers and their families and to allow special paid leave to all such employees.