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The government has announced that it will scrap special paid leave for Covid-related sickness and isolation from 7 July as part of its new ‘learning to live with Covid’ plan.
Until now, episodes of sickness absence related to Covid were fully paid for all NHS workers regardless of their length of service. But according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Department of Health and Social Care will withdraw this guidance and replace it with new rules.
This will mean that staff during their first year of service will only be entitled to one month’s full pay and two months’ half-pay each year, while those who have completed five years of service are entitled to six months’ full-pay and six months’ half-pay.
Staff with long Covid will be hit the hardest by the change in guidance
This change could have a significant financial impact on those suffering with long Covid. A move that England BMA Occupational Medicine Committee co-chair Professor Raymond Agius describes as “unsafe” and “thoughtless”.
“The decision to end Special Covid Leave for NHS staff with Covid is completely unacceptable and will put patients and healthcare workers at significant risk. Healthcare workers are in harm’s way, caring for patients who are infected, and this vital provision helped ensure that they faced no detriment if they needed to self-isolate or became unwell with Covid.
“The removal of this provision will not only force many staff to continue working if symptomatic but may have a significant impact on their livelihoods if they develop long Covid.
“NHS staff rely on this Special Covid Leave so that they can effectively recuperate and return to work safely. Removing this support is unsafe for patient care and pressuring people to return to work, which ultimately this will do, is appalling and demonstrates once again that the Government doesn’t care about the health and wellbeing of NHS staff,” he said.
Professor Agius is now calling for a long-term Covid strategy that is underpinned by adequate research, data collection and long-term investment.
“This must include improved financial and wider support for those unable to work due to long Covid and the BMA supports calls by the coronavirus All Party Parliamentary Group for a compensation scheme for frontline workers,” he added.
One in 30 currently estimated to have the virus
RCN England Director Patricia Marquis has similarly described the decision as “hugely disappointing”, particularly at a time where we are seeing significant rises in Covid cases, with one in 30 currently estimated to have the virus.
“We know many of our members are suffering from long Covid, with their lives adversely affected making them unable to work. Facing the threat of losing full sick pay should they remain off sick from a condition some could argue is an occupational hazard, is neglectful and unfair.
“It’s another indication of how little this government values its nursing staff. NHS pay is barely enough to make ends meet at the best of times, and this will be another blow for some struggling with Covid-19-related health issues” she said.