Health and Wellbeing

NHSGGC promotes good mental health and the wellbeing of our staff. We treat our people fairly regardless of their mental health status and we don’t discriminate. We also provide a safe and healthy workplace. 

Mental health problems like stress, depression or anxiety cause a significant proportion of sickness absence across Scotland. We know that getting support at an early stage can prevent absence from work and help recovery. 

To achieve this, our staff will be managed in a way that is not detrimental to their mental health and positively promotes mental health and wellbeing, following our policies in this area.

Top Tips

1. Mental health problems are a common cause of long term sickness absence and have major resource implications for NHSGGC. Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing helps improve physical health, social inclusion and productivity
2. NHSGGC has a duty of care under our Staff Governance Standard to protect the mental health and wellbeing of our staff whilst they are at work. We are also committed to tackling disability discrimination, including discrimination relating to people who experience mental health problems.

Beyond our legal obligations, we promote good mental health and wellbeing by providing healthy working environments to help develop and nurture staff.

Policy

NHSGGC aim to promote and protect the mental health and wellbeing of staff. A range of policies and practices exist to help us do this and this policy guidance brings these together for easy reference: Board Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy.

If you have any questions in relation to this policy please contact the HR Support and Advice Unit.

The NHS Scotland Workforce Attendance Policy came into effect on the 1st March 2020. This policy aims to encourage and support employee attendance, where health impacts their ability to be at work.

The aim of Attendance Management is to help the Board make the most of the employee attendance by reducing both short and long-term absence through promoting positive attitudes to work and effectively working in partnerships with all parties to reduce employee absence to the minimum levels as possible. This policy ensures that NHSGGC adopt a fair, consistent and supportive approach to staff with health problems, resolving long term or on-going absences through the most appropriate means available and ensuring they provide a healthy and safe workplace.

Further information and supporting documentation can be found on the Attendance Policy Overview and Attendance: Roles & Responsibilities document.

COVID Special Leave will end on Sunday 31^st March 2024. Therefore, from 1^st April 2024 any employee absent due to COVID symptoms will be recorded as sick leave. Please see DL(2024)03 – Removal of Temporary COVID Special Leave for further information.

Managers can also access the Attendance – Managers Toolkit for guidance.

The introduction of the Workplace Adjustment Passport aims to support employees with a disability, health condition or diversity in the workplace to have a great experience at work. This can be used to support employees within their current workplace or when moving between departments and / or roles. This is in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

NHSGGC is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

The menopause is a natural process and for many can be positively managed through lifestyle adjustments. However, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde recognises that for some the menopause is not always an easy transition. Some employees may need additional considerations to support and improve their experience at work.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to supporting employees who are affected in any way by the menopause and to support and inform managers so that employees reporting issues are treated fairly and given appropriate support.   

Phased Return Following Long Term Absence

Following long term absence the arrangements are that an employee who returns to work on a phased return as recommended by Occupational Health will be entitled to be paid for a period of up to 4 weeks at their normal contractual pay.

If the phased return needs to extend beyond 4 weeks, the employee will be expected to contribute any accrued annual leave. However, if an employee does not wish to use their annual leave they can opt to be paid according to the actual hours worked during the phased return period.

Phased returns should not normally last for periods of longer than 8 weeks.

NHSGGC have a zero tolerance approach to smoking  on all NHS grounds and premises. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all staff, patients and visitors. 

Our Smokefree Policy aims to work towards a tobacco-free environment. This policy applies to all staff, patients and visitors. 

• NHSGGC Smokefree Policy