Supporting employees with terminal illness - PowerPoint Presentation

1. Supporting employees with terminal illnessFeedback from breakout sessions – employer support on social needs:MHFA training for managers/HR/trade unions; bereavement counselling for colleagues; support for staff who are partners/parents of those with terminal illness eg mental health impact, standalone Carers policyLine manager fundamental so support for them and their team.Regular contact, keeping in touch (formally and informally), give employee choice re. keeping in touchEAP and OH services

2. Supporting employees with terminal illnessFeedback from breakout sessions – employer support on social needs:MHFA training for managers/HR/trade unions; bereavement counselling for colleagues; support for staff who are partners/parents of those with terminal illness eg mental health impact, standalone Carers policyLine manager fundamental so support for them and their team.Regular contact, keeping in touch (formally and informally), give employee choice re. keeping in touchEAP and OH services and GPs Signposting to services for the employee and family and friends, counselling, support of psycholigists, Able Futuresroach - what does the employee need - e.g. to stay in workRaising awareness of terminal illness across the organisation - clear comms - colleagues may also need mental health support especially if they have worked together for a long timeRecognising it can impact people differently, and that others need support

3. Supporting employees with terminal illnessFeedback from breakout sessions – employer support on welfare needs:Financial Wellbeing - home visits to tackle the difficult topic of up to date expression of interest forms, ill health retirement etcSignposting to resources. knowing who they areHospice outreach or ad'hoc admissions - useful information to employee, family. Thinking about end of life planningClear approach and position of LA on backdating of IHR. Need for pace in obtaining and providing financial informationRefreshing death in service nominees following marriage/divorce etc.Timely provision of options and also understanding wider benefits/signpostingdiscretion over sick pay. Ill-health retirement. Links with pensions. EAP guidance and CABsignposting to support charities, making sure managers are referring to OH to check on the best option for employee and family Joined up approach, be clear on roles and responsibilities

4. Supporting employees with terminal illnessFeedback from breakout sessions – employer support on legal needs:Understanding legalities can be complex, Deprivation of Liberty, Power of AttorneyImpact on performance / capability - reasonable approachsupport the 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 behindDifficult to know how to support employees supporting people with terminal diagnosis – they can't have sick pay because it's not them who are ill. In some cases the employee is signed off sick with stress/anxiety/depression as the mental health impacts of caring for a terminally loved one has significant mental health impact so sick in their own right

5. Supporting employees with terminal illnessWebinar resources (September 2023)LGA web resource https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/workforce-and-hr-support/wellbeing/managing-and-supporting-employees-terminal-illnessMarie Curie – creating a bereavement policy https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/work/employer-resources/create-bereavement-policy TUC Dying to Work campaign https://www.dyingtowork.co.uk/ Macmillan resouces for managers https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-and-work/employers Receive a weekly email from the What Works Centre for Wellbeing - sign up link at bottom of the page https://whatworkswellbeing.org/