Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

NHS compassionate leave policy

15 replies

AmandinePoulain · 10/02/2012 19:49

I've worked in the NHS for 9 years, and I've been lucky enough to never need any compassionate leave, until today when my grandfather died. I was meant to be working tonight but phoned this morning to explain that I didn't feel up to coming in, my manager wasn't in today so the nurse in charge of the shift granted me leave (I'm assuming compassionate). I'm on annual leave after tonight, and hoped that the funeral would fall next week. Unfortunately this won't be the case, it will be held the following Tuesday, which was due to be my next night shift. As the funeral will be held over 200 miles away, it would not be reasonable for me to work that shift.

I've read the Special Leave Policy, which states that I am entitled to companionate leave from the time of death until after the funeral for "immediate" family members, but this is not defined - would a grandparent count as immediate family?

I'm getting a little stressed about the whole thing, and won't be able to speak to anyone until Monday. I know that colleagues have had issues in the past with being forced to take annual or unpaid leave for funerals, but I cannot afford to lose a day's pay and aside from the annual leave I'm taking next week I don't have any holiday hours left this year.

Has anyone been through similar? Or can someone help me to interpret the policy?

Thank you.

OP posts:
hotbot · 10/02/2012 20:04

Hi, sorry for your news,
i am an nhs mgr, and the policy does state managers discretion.
I must say that i think it would be a bit off to not give you the days leave as compassionate.
sorry again for your loss

Bahamamomma · 10/02/2012 20:07

Hi. So sorry for your loss. Please don't worry. I work in the NHS too and in my organisation there would be absolutely no problem with you having compassionate leave for your grandfather's funeral. You absolutely shouldn't have to take annual leave.

worley · 10/02/2012 20:08

I'm nhs and was given the day off as compasionate leave for my grandads funeral. for my aunt they insisted I went to work afterwards in the afternoon. big mistake as I got there and crumbled. this was different managers so was at their discretion.

Original poster
AmandinePoulain · 11/02/2012 07:52

Thanks. I hope you're all right! A friend at work told me last night that she was forced to take annual leave a few years ago for her grandfather's funeral. Which goes against the policy Angry. I'll just have to phone on Monday and cross my fingers I suppose.

OP posts:
Pookie22 · 19/04/2018 23:01

How did you get on ? I have been employed by the NHS for 12 months , I took a few days off at the beginning of Feb as my dad was terminally Ill and he wanted to come home instead of going into a hospice my mum is elderly & I am a only child so we had to put provisions into place i.e. - meeting with palliative care team & Macmillan nurses etc it was a lot of information to take on board we had to have specialist equipment delivered I didn't plan to be off for so long , I took it as sick leave as no holidays left my dad came home on the Thursday & passed away on the sat , my mum fell apart so I needed to be there , to arrange the funeral etc, and to grieve - I took 3 weeks off in total ( sick leave ) i have been placed on to a stage 1 at work - had to take the day off today as I went in at 8am with a banging head came home at 10am as I kept throwing up - and generally felt poorly . I am stressed about my sickness now as it will escalate . Can I appeal the stage 1 ?

Stormy76 · 21/04/2018 07:01

It should be granted as compassionate leave but some managers are less understanding than others, I can completely imagine someone being told they have to work on the afternoon after a funeral, that is the kind of thing that would happen in my trust. It really depends on the manager and I am sorry to say that there is a fair mix of good and bad ones......I have had some amazing NHS managers....and some terrible ones. I hope they grant it as special leave or compassionate leave

Ellen62 · 05/12/2018 21:49

I've worked for the NHS for 21 years and now need compassionate leave for the first time. My mother is dying in hospital and I have taken 3 working days to be with her. She may only have a few days left.
I have been told that I will have to use A/L or unpaid leave to remain at her bedside. (I live 100 miles away and am staying with my dad).
This surely cannot be right. I'm so stressed I feel like telling them to stuff it.
Can anyone advise how I should or could handle this?

m0therofdragons · 05/12/2018 23:18

I'm nhs and our policy is 5 days for close family. It would depend on your manager though as there are additional special circumstances. Will executor gets longer.

Tbh I would intend to go back to work after a day off then take compassionate leave for the funeral but then I enjoy my job and feel the distraction and normal routine is helpful for me. Sadly I've had a lot of tragedy in my life with close family members dying young so I may not be normal.

m0therofdragons · 05/12/2018 23:22

@Ellen62 I can't imagine that's compassionate leave but more family emergency leave or other paid special leave. Check your policy manual as they differ. I've literally been reading up on this today as a colleague has a close relative having open heart surgery and she asked to be off and use annual leave but I've managed to ensure she doesn't need to do that. It's manager's discretion. Alternatively a gp will sign you off as unfit to work in those circumstances. So sorry for what you're going through with unsupportive leadership too. That sucks. Wish I was your manager Thanks

bebesequin · 07/12/2018 17:54

Depends who you are and who your manager is in the NHS
No consistency in my experience.
I would think it would qualify a special leave but if you can't get it then you can either be signed off sick or take unpaid leave.

whatisforteamum · 07/12/2018 18:49

I work for a.large company and had to check the policy before my Dad died.Their policy was one week for parents and sibling and children of the employee.I have never known paid leave for grandparents tbh.Sorry for your loss.

greendale17 · 07/12/2018 23:47

Immediate family at my work is mother, father, brother, sister or your child.

daisychain01 · 08/12/2018 10:52

There is normally an "at the manager's discretion" inclusion in absence policies because real life isn't so binary.

If for example a grandparent had been the employee's primary carer, or if they were primary carer for their niece, then the 'on paper' relationship is less relevant than the person's RW relationship with the deceased.

NTBees · 15/04/2019 20:48

Hi
I work in the NHS and my uncle has just passed away. Today at work I requested off the day of his funeral but management has refused the time off stating that isn't enough staff to cover if I am not in.
Could someone please help me locate the most current special leave policy so I can check to see if the refusal is allowed under policy.
Currently this is all I have been able to find but have concerns that it is not up to date.
www.nhsemployers.org/-/media/Employers/Documents/Armed-Forces/RSCH-Special-leave-policy-v-2-April-2017.pdf?la=en&hash=9187387B330227E9D54B036852580303E22D1ED8
Thanks for any help in this matter.

m0therofdragons · 20/04/2019 19:21

@NTBees each trust has its own policy and there's a lot of manager's discretion. With clinical staff where patient safety has to be considered there may be occasions when you'd be expected to swap shifts if it wasn't a parent/child/sibling or I think grandparents are covered as immediate family. You may be asked to take it as annual leave.

I'm senior and non clinical and was given 3 hours off for a friend's child's funeral (he was 19 and I'd known him for years) but I often work overtime and the dept was fully staffed, had it not been then I wouldn't have been able to attend

Sorry for your loss Thanks

New posts on this thread. Refresh page