A raft of special arrangements brought in to support NHS staff to work through the pandemic and grant additional sick leave entitlements are to end this week.

At the beginning of the first covid lockdown, the Scottish government introduced a series of temporary changes to standard terms and conditions for staff covering annual leave, self-isolation, sick leave payments and working from home.

The amendments included allowed staff to carry over untaken holiday to the following year or to sell leave days back to the NHS and be paid time and a half for up to 10 days so long as they took 28 days of annual leave.

Employees who were shielding continued to receive full pay under the arrangements and were asked to work from home where possible.

Meanwhile bank workers – a list of zero-hour contracted staff who can be called in to meet demand – were offered fixed term contracts to encourage them to work shifts and ensure they weren't disadvantaged when the NHS went onto an emergency footing. Bank workers in high risk categories who began shielding also continued to be paid based on their previous income.

In a letter to NHS boards, the Scottish government says the temporary policies will be withdrawn at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, another arrangement, where all staff, regardless of how long they had been employed, were entitled to six months’ sick leave on full pay – to cover people with long covid and ensure people weren't going back to work too soon – will come to an end by September. Previously this level of sick pay cover had only been offered to people with five or more years’ service.

Earlier this year the government confirmed that NHS staff who test positive for covid will continue to be required to stay away from work for five days. Those in patient-facing roles still must have two negative lateral flow test results before returning. Staff who do not work with patients are required to go back to work after the five days if they feel well.

The only change in terms and conditions that will carry on until next year is for senior staff on bands 8 and 9 who will continue to be allowed to claim overtime payments – something previously only permitted up to band 7. They will be allowed payments for extra hours until the end of March 2023.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said:

“Since March 2020 anyone absent from work in NHS Scotland due to being sick with covid-19 has been on Special Leave, which does not count towards sick leave triggers. 

"However, as we move beyond the pandemic, it is important that we also move back to treating all staff the same.  Ending the Special Leave arrangements on 31 August will deliver that consistency.  From 1 September, staff suffering from COVID-19 will receive the same sick leave entitlement and support as all other staff in line with our Once for Scotland Attendance Policy.”

 

Read more: Safe staffing timetable announced; RCN: Patients and staff suffering due to shortages; Future shielding unlikely, as risk list scrapped