Responding to the death of a colleague, terminal illness or a tramatic incident

This guidance aims to help managers understand the key role they play, as well as the responsibilities they have, following a traumatic event involving one of their team. This includes the passing of a colleague, or diagnosis of a terminal illness. As a manager, you’ll find helpful information about Trust processes that must be followed during these times, as well as around the support that is available to you and your team.

We hope that this guide provides you with clarity on what to do in the first instance. However, the guide should also be useful in guiding you through some of the practicalities, such as how you might be able to create flexibility and space for colleagues who are affected while maintaining the delivery of your service, and how communications should be managed.

Key contacts are also included, in addition to guidance on how and when they might be involved with processes that are aimed to supporting all who are impacted – including colleagues, friends and family. Considerations like payroll, pension, employee records and more are also covered to help you navigate each step with confidence.

Also included in the guide’s appendices are processes, letter templates, support resources and checklists, helping keep things simple wherever possible.

Supporting Staff during times of crisis

Our guidance for supporting staff who are experiencing a mental health crisis sets out the steps that should be taken (usually by line managers) in response to such events and in support of the person affected.

Within the guide, you’ll find information and steps which should be taken if and when someone is at immediate risk of, or who has expressed thoughts of taking their own life.

Additionally, key principles of support are provided, outlining the importance of listening, reassurance and remaining calm as a manager in such a situation.

Elsewhere, alternative routes of support for those in crisis are provided. Furthermore, support routes for managers looking to practice self-care and look after their own wellbeing after such an event can also be found in this guide.

Stress-Related Illness and Absence

The Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team has put together a handy 8-step guide for early intervention in relation to stress-related illness and absence.

Download our easy-to-digest guide to understand the steps you should be taking, what support you can access through Occupational Health and when now.

Menopause Support & Guidance

Gateshead Health is aiming to be a menopause-friendly employer, and partners with Henpicked to provide colleagues with accesss to a range of support and resources.

Over on our dedicated menopause support page, you’ll be able to find support, resources and signposting for staff about all things menopause – but did you know there is also a range of guidance specifically targeted towards managers that is designed to help you understand how you can better support those experiencing symptoms?

Additionally, there is a national Menopause Awareness eLearning programme that may be of use in helping you understand the potential impact of menopause, how it may present and how you may be able to support colleagues who are experiencing symptoms.

Sickness Absence Toolkit

The NHS Employers’ Sickness Absence Toolkit is all about supporting line managers to have both confidence and consistency every step of the way when it comes to discussing and managing sickness absence.

Within the toolkit is advice and guidance on situations including what do when staff report that they are unwell, when they frequently report sickness and where there is long-term sickness. Also included is guidance around various reasons for absence, supporting staff who are off sick and preparing for returns to work.

The expectations of Line Managers in relation to People Management

NHS England’s framework for line managers aims to clearly outline the expectations of line managers in relation to people management.

Within, the document covers what managers need to know and understand, what managers need to do, key manager behaviour expectations and how HR and OD can support this across the following topics:

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
• Recruiting
• Inducting and onboarding
• Employee health and wellbeing
• Flexible working
• Employee engagement and experience
• Developing employees
• Enabling employee and team performance
• Supporting attendance
• Managing employee concerns & complaints
• Managing exits
• Enabling change and transformation
• Workforce planning and rostering
• Managing data and using technology
• Being self-aware and developing yourself

In addition to this, within the appendices of the framwork are a host of associated resources, all designed to support you in implementation of good practice around the topics above.

Referrals

All Occupational Health Referrals should be completed through our dedicated Occupational Health Referral forms, which can be viewed and downloaded via StaffZone. If you have any queries about referrals, please contact us on [email protected] or call 0191 445 5494.