St Andrew’s Healthcare has signed an initiative which seeks greater security for terminally ill members of staff.

Working in collaboration with UNISON and RCN, the Dying to Work Voluntary Charter is part of the Trade Union Congress’ (TUC) wider Dying to Work campaign.

The initiative was designed to help alleviate worry for employees who have sadly been diagnosed with a terminal illness and reinforces the Charity’s continuing approach to supporting staff.  

The Charter sets out an agreed way in which an employee should be treated and supported in the terrible event of a terminal diagnosis.  

It was jointly signed by St Andrew’s Healthcare’s Chair Paul Burstow and Executive HR Director Martin Kersey. They were joined by the TUC’s Rob Johnson, James Doherty from UNISON and Julie Williams from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

Stacey Carter, Head of Reward at St Andrews’ Healthcare, said: “We want to ensure our employees are shown compassion and empathy when faced with a terminal diagnosis, which is why we believe signing this Charter is a vital as part of our values as an organisation. The Dying to Work Charter is about choice and giving an individual options around how they want to proceed at work.”

Rob Johnson said: “Your job should be the least of your worries when you get a terminal diagnosis. I’m delighted that St Andrew’s have shown real leadership in this area, working with unions to guarantee fair treatment for terminally-ill workers.”

The Dying to Work Voluntary Charter states:

1. We recognise that terminal illness requires support and understanding and not additional and avoidable stress and worry.
2. Terminally ill workers will be secure in the knowledge that we will support them following their diagnosis and we recognise that safe and reasonable work can help maintain dignity, offer a valuable distraction and can be therapeutic in itself.
3. We will provide our employees with the security of work, peace of mind and the right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families which helps them through this challenging period with dignity and without undue financial loss.
4. We support the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.

For more information, click here