Special Leave

Time off to care for those you love

Our range of leave options is there to support you if you need to deal with a sensitive or upsetting situation. Alongside enhanced leave options to deal with a bereavement, pregnancy loss or to care for a loved one we have added an additional paid day each year if you need to take time off to recover emotionally from any situation you are facing.

In line with other NHS organisations, we currently offer five days unpaid compassionate leave each year. We have enhanced that offer by adding a range of different special leave options so you can choose the right type of leave for you if you need to take time away from work for something difficult happening in your life.

Time off for Dependents

Up to 5 days (pro-rata) paid and unpaid time off to deal with an emergency involving dependents

Parental Leave

Employees with more than one year’s service are entitled to 4 weeks per year (up to a total of 18 weeks) of unpaid parental leave for children under 18 years old.

Bereavement Leave

Up to three days (pro-rata) of paid bereavement leave in the event of the death of a close relative.

Career Break/Sabbatical Leave

Normally be for between 3 to 12 months and subject to authorisation. Subject to relevant length of service.

Unforeseen Circumstances Preventing Attendance at Work

Employees are expected to make all reasonable attempts to attend work for services to be maintained and proactively seek alternative methods of getting to work. This can include with managers agreement working at a different site or at home, making up hours at a different time, use of annual leave or in some exceptional circumstances unpaid leave i.e. where annual leave has been exhausted.

Terminal Care Leave - NEW

In addition to compassionate leave we now offer and additional five days paid leave to allow you to spend time with someone who depends on you and support staff who have a dependent that is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Subject to relevant length of service. There are a number of other ways of supporting you in addition to this leave.

Child Bereavement Leave

In the traumatic event of the loss of a child, all bereaved parents will be entitled to a minimum of two weeks’ Child Bereavement Leave at full pay and doesn’t require the child to be less than 18 years old. This includes adoptive parents, legal guardians, individuals who are fostering to adopt, and any other parent/child relationship that the Trust deems to be reasonable.

Supporting Employees with Pregnancy Loss - NEW

We are proud to be a Tommy’s Pregnancy and Parenting at Work Champion

Losing a pregnancy at any stage is devastating and it can take time to recover both physically and emotionally. Parents who experience a miscarriage or stillbirth at any stage of their pregnancy should be supported and given the time they may need to grieve and process their loss.

Whether it happens directly to you, or you are a partner or a baby’s surrogate, regardless of the nature of your loss, or your length of service, anyone experiencing pregnancy loss before the 24th week is entitled to up to two weeks paid leave (pro-rata). The partner of a person who was pregnant is entitled to up to five days paid leave.

Fertility Treatment/IVF - NEW

We understand that undergoing fertility treatment is tough and we want to support all colleagues undergoing treatment and those that support them. Our leave means that you don’t have to take sick leave to cover attending appointments or treatment.

If you are undergoing fertility treatment or going through a surrogacy process, you can take five days paid leave in a rolling 12-month period. This applies to both the birthing and non-birthing parents.

Compassionate Leave

For other exceptional circumstances not covered elsewhere in this policy, managers have the discretion to grant one day of paid compassionate leave (pro-rata) in a rolling 12-month period.