FOI/2025/26/198

Request

 

On 6 April 2024, the Carer's Leave Act came into force, which entitled employees a right of to up to 5 days unpaid leave for planned occasions to give or arrange care for a ‘dependant’ who has:

• a physical or mental illness or injury that means they’re expected to need care for more than three months
• a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010)
• care needs because of their old age

A link to guidance in understanding the law is here https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/work-and-career/the-carer-s-leave-act-2023/ (You may need to copy & paste the URL to your web browser)A year ago NHS England's carers' network wrote to NHS commissioning organisations and acute providers to check compliance with the new legislation. Of the replying organisations, only a shade over 25% had planned carer's leave in their current Special Leave policy. Full results, including copies of policies supplied, can be found on the FutureNHS Collaboration Platform - Commitment to Carers workplace - NHS Special Leave Policies Pre 06/04/2024 - Commitment to Carers Folder. (You may need to copy & paste the following URL to your web browser and to seek permission from the administrator to Join). https://future.nhs.uk/committocarers.On the 1st anniversary of the act, the network has teamed up with Carers UK to see the progress made by NHS organisations, as well as 'what good looks like' for special leave and carer's policies. This is an important exercise to protect carer's rights, promote equitable, fair and consistent treatment of carers, and ensure that the law is enacted, not just to the letter, but in a real, meaningful, kind and supporting way. Please could you reply to this short survey by 23 May 2025.

Hi, Todd. When you submit this form, the owner will see your name and email address.

Required

1. What is the organisation's ID code (ODS) – RYX

2. What is the organisation's name – Central London Community Healthcare

3. What is the best e-mail address to contact the organisation in the future regarding working carers. -  dominic.mundy@nhs.net

4. Does the organisation have a carers' staff network or peer support group – Yes, Parents and Carers Network

5. If yes, what is the network/group's e-mail address - clcht.parentsandcarersnetwork1@nhs.net

6. Is the organisation a member of Carers UK/Employers for Carers (EfC)  No, and we have no plans to in the future

7.  If yes, has the organisation undertaken the Carer Confident Assessment. – N/A

8. If yes, at which level is the organisation – N/A

Level 1 - Active

Level 2 - Accomplished

Level 3 – Ambassador

9. What is the organisation's employee Headcount total (Not FTE or WTE) - 5301 (Aug 2025)

10. How many of the organisation's employees have formally identified (on ESR) as a working carer - Data not available

11. What is the organisation's Working Carer percentage (%), based on the latest NHS Staff Survey (Question 32b) – We do not ask this question on the survey and therefore do not have this data

12. How has the organisation communicated to staff about their rights under Carers Leave Act. – Special leave policy (created in partnership with Staff side)

13. What training has been given to line managers about the Carers Leave Act – Ongoing guidance provided and coaching provided by HR to managers.

14. How many staff have booked Carers Leave for planned events in the last 12 months - 67 Staff members took carers leave but there is no option to differentiate between planned and unplanned event.(Sep24-Aug25)

15. What was the average number of days taken – 2.93 Days

16. Please attach a copy of the organisation's current Special Leave policy – Attached

17. In the organisation's Special Leave/Leave policy, is planned Carer's leave paid, unpaid or both

Unpaid

18. How many days are paid (maximum) in a 12 month period – 0

19. How many days are unpaid (maximum) in a 12 month period – 5 Days for carers leave

20. Are any paid days repayable to the organisation, via payroll deduction or additional time worked - No

21. Do managers have discretionary authorisation to go beyond the policy in appropriate circumstances. - No

22. If yes, what are they allowed to do – N/A

23. In the organisation's Special Leave/Leave policy, is unplanned Carer's (Emergency Domestic / Dependant) leave paid, unpaid or both - Paid

 

24. How many days are paid (maximum) in a 12 month period - Can authorise up to 5 days emergency carers leave

25. How many days are unpaid (maximum) in a 12 month period - 0

26. Does the organisation's Compassionate Leave allowance include paid Terminal Care leave - No

27. If paid Terminal Care is allowed, what's the maximum number of days allowed in a 12 month period – N/A

28. The NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook (section 33.23) requires that all NHS employers have a carer’s policy to address the needs of people with caring responsibilities - please confirm

- The organisation doesn't yet have a separate carer's policy however does fall within special leave policy

29. Please attach a copy of your current carer's policy – see special leave policy