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Domestic abuse policy offers trust staff support and paid leave

Policy pledges financial and well-being support to nurses in abusive relationships
Woman standing looking out a window

Policy pledges financial and well-being support to nurses in abusive relationships

Woman standing looking out a window
Picture: iStock

Nurses who experience domestic abuse can receive up to six weeks’ paid leave under a policy unveiled by a trust in England.

The domestic abuse policy was devised by the HR team at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, with support from local domestic abuse charity MK Act and in consultation with unions and staff.

Fears of financial instability prevent many from leaving abusive relationships

Louise Clayton of Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Louise Clayton: ‘Policy addresses financial worries that may prevent staff leaving abusive relationships’

Head of HR business partnering Louise Clayton said it was among a range of policies developed by the trust as part of efforts to support employees’ mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘We felt we had a gap we needed to address,’ she said.

Ms Clayton said the trust was particularly keen to address fears of financial instability that prevent many people from leaving abusive relationships.

The policy states that all staff experiencing domestic abuse will be treated in a ‘supportive and empathetic manner’. Staff can find out more on the trust’s intranet, and training is being rolled out to managers to help them spot signs of abuse, support their staff and refer them for help.

Trust hopes the policy will give staff experiencing problems the confidence to speak out

Under the policy, up to six weeks’ paid leave is available to employees who need to leave home urgently due to domestic abuse.

Special leave provisions also allow for up to three months’ unplanned, unpaid leave for those who have to move home at short notice, plus paid leave to access counselling or legal assistance.

‘Salary advances are also available so that if people needed cash quickly to leave their home they have access to that,’ said Ms Clayton. ‘Making sure bank details and correspondence addresses could be changed quickly at short notice is also key.’

She said the trust hoped the policy would give staff experiencing problems the confidence to speak out.


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