AQW 21976/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 07/09/2021
Answered On Date: 13/09/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the sick pay policy arrangements for those working in the Health and Social Care Trusts who are absent from work for extended periods due to Long Covid.

Answer:

As part of the emergency response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, HSC employers, in conjunction with my Department, introduced temporary workforce guidance as part of its strategy to support the response to COVID-19. To support infection control measures and to ensure the health and safety of staff and patients, a temporary enhanced provision of "Public Service Duties Paid" was introduced to financially support staff who required to be off work when they were symptomatic of Covid-19.

At the time of introducing this provision it was thought to be a short-term measure, as the continuing duration of the current pandemic was not anticipated. In addition, at that time, it was not known that symptoms associated with Covid-19 would affect employees longer-term. The emergence of "Long Covid" has seen employees affected and remaining absent from work for a period of months and, in some cases, upwards of one year.

As the duration of the pandemic has continued beyond a timescale ever anticipated, a review of this enhanced provision is currently being undertaken with a view to ensuring equity and fairness among all HSC staff.