Ashgate Hospicecare commit to TUC’s Dying to Work Charter
Ashgate Hospicecare is thrilled to announce that they have added their name to a charter aimed at protecting employees who become terminally ill.
The Chesterfield based hospice is the latest employer to sign up to the Dying to Work Voluntary Charter, following in the footsteps of employers such as Rolls Royce, Royal Mail and the Co-op.
The Charter is part of the TUC’s wider Dying to Work campaign which is seeking to provide greater security for terminally ill workers, ensuring that they are not dismissed due to their condition.
Lee Barron, Regional Secretary of TUC Midlands, said:-
“Your job should be the least of your worries when you get a terminal diagnosis.
“I’m delighted that Ashgate Hospicecare have shown real leadership in this area, working with unions to guarantee fair treatment for terminally-ill workers.
“More than 600,000 workers are now covered by the Dying to Work charter across the country, and we expect more employers to commit in the coming months.”
Dying to Work was taken forward by the TUC following the case of Jacci Woodcook, an area sales manager from Derbyshire who was forced out of her job three years ago after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.
The TUC is asking employers to sign up to its voluntary charter to stop cases like Jacci’s happening in the future.
By signing the Dying To Work charter, employers are agreeing that they will give due consideration to terminally ill employees and protect their jobs. The campaign is so important to those who are living with a terminal illness and it is essential they have meaning to their lives rather than be defined by the disease which is killing them.
Matt Corbishley, Director of HR and Support Services at Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-
“I am delighted that we have signed up to the Dying to Work charter. As a provider of hospice care, we are all too aware of the impact a terminal diagnosis has on people’s lives. I am committed to ensuring that we demonstrate the same support, compassion and dignity to our staff, as we do the patients and families we care for.
“Signing the charter is a simple but important step for employers to take in preventing additional emotional and financial stress due to worries over job security. I would strongly urge all employers, particularly our corporate supporters, to join us.”
Sarah Parnacott, Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Ashgate Hospicecare, said:-
“We know that 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer and 1 in 10 under the age of 50 will be diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully many people will be cured.
“However, for those who are not cured and are facing living with a terminal diagnosis that may extend to months or sometimes years, being able to continue safe and reasonable work is vital. It can maintain dignity, be therapeutic, a distraction from their illness and ensure individuals feel valued and offered financial security with access to benefits such as death in service payments.
“I am thrilled that as a hospice we will be signing this charter. I hope that many of our corporate partners will also commit their businesses to signing.”
