April 1, 2020 5.03 pm This story is over 46 months old

Annual leave cancelled for hospital staff as seven day commitment launched

ULHT said it was a difficult decision

Hospital staff at Lincoln, Boston and Grantham will move to a seven day commitment and told to cancel annual leave during the coronavirus pandemic.

Correction: An earlier version of this story indicated extra pay for weekend and bank holiday work would be suspended. United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust later clarified that pay would be administered as normal during these days. This story has been amended accordingly.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust made the decision at a time when the hospitals are under increased pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It means that every day, including bank holidays or weekend, will be treated as a normal working day and any leave that is cancelled will be available to rebook later in the year.

A hospital spokesperson said: “As part of our response to coronavirus we have made the difficult decision to cancel annual leave for all our staff during April.

“Everyone across the trust has a role to play in helping us to care for our patients during this difficult time.

“During this period we are moving to working across seven days. This means that every day, including Bank Holidays and weekends, will be treated as a normal working day with appropriate staffing levels.

“We will pay staff for the days they work, including the weekend, in line with their agreed terms and conditions of employment. Any leave that has been cancelled will be available to rebook later on in the year.

“We are incredibly proud of the commitment and dedication that our staff have shown so far, and are doing everything that we can to support them while they care for our patients.”

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