BrisDoc is committed to providing clinical care and supporting processes to an exemplary standard that ensures patients, their carers and families, and other professionals receive high quality care and support. In order to assure itself that staff are meeting the expected standards BrisDoc will routinely audit all contacts with patients and professionals, across all of its services, whether the contact is over the telephone or in person. Specific audits will also be undertaken to assure BrisDoc of the consistency of standards of care and practice across a service, and that a Service can work effectively and safely within the local healthcare community. Audit will provide evidence that areas of poor practice, and poor systems and processes are recognised and acted upon thereby ensuring BrisDoc continues to provide high quality patient care is accordance with its business model.
BrisDoc is committed to:
Providing staff, the opportunity to take the leave to which they are entitled, and ensuring the organisation manages leave in a way that does not affect patient care or service delivery.
2. Scope
These guidelines apply to all employees employed on a BrisDoc contract (with the exception of Bank / Casual Workers and self-employed staff including sessional or locum GPs as their holiday is “rolled up” in their pay).
The areas covered in this policy include:
- How much annual leave employees are entitled to
- How annual leave should be requested
- What can happen if an employee falls sick during a period of annual leave
- What happens if a contract is terminated
- The accrual of annual leave during maternity leave
- How length of service impacts annual leave
All requests for annual leave will be dealt with fairly and consistently and in accordance with BrisDoc’s Equality & Diversity policy. Both the employee and the manager have a responsibility under this policy to ensure that all annual leave is taken in the leave year. Good management of leave will ensure the health and wellbeing of the employee and the organization.
3. Holiday Year
BrisDoc’s holiday year is based on a calendar year (1st January to 31st December).
It is a legal requirement that all staff use their statutory minimum annual leave every year. With line manager approval, BrisDoc allows a maximum of 1 week (or equivalent hours) above the statutory minimum allowance to be carried over to the next year which must be used before 31st March of that year.
If an employee joins or leaves BrisDoc part way through the holiday year, their annual leave entitlement will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, equivalent to the proportion of the holiday year in which they have been employed.
4. Annual Leave Entitlements
The following annual leave entitlements are calculated based on working a full-time week i.e. 37.5 hours (pro rata for part time and part year employees).
As the majority of BrisDoc’s working patterns are split into shifts of various lengths, annual leave entitlement is defined as days, based on a 7.5 hour working day, and hours.
4.1 Statutory Leave Entitlements
Statutory holiday entitlement for all workers is 28 days (210 hours) for a full-time employee, inclusive of bank holidays. This is the statutory minimum that all employees must ensure they take each year (pro rata for part-time/part-year staff). This is the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.
4.2 Entitlements for Nursing and Non-Clinical Staff
There are two sets of annual leave entitlements for Nursing and Non-Clinical Staff depending on the date the employee commenced employment at BrisDoc[1]:
For all nursing and non-clinical staff employed on Terms & Conditions of Employment up to 31st December 2008:
- 27 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 262.5 hours) up to end of 4th year of employment (pro rata)
- 28 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 270 hours) between 5th year and up to end of 9th year of employment (pro rata)
- 29 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 277.5 hours) for 10 years or more service (pro rata)
For all nursing and non-clinical staff employed on Terms & Conditions of Employment from 1st January 2009:
- 25 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 247.5 hours) during first and second year of employment (pro rata)
- 26 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 255 hours) during the third and fourth year of employment (pro rata)
- 27 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 262.5 hours) once you have completed 4 years or more (pro rata)
4.3 Entitlements for Salaried GPs
- 30 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 285 hours), and 3 days (22.5 hours) Study Leave inclusive of any study leave you require to maintain yourself on the PCT performers List and achieve the standard required for your GP appraisal during the first and second year of employment (pro rata)
- 31 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 292.5 hours), and 3 days (22.5 hours) Study Leave inclusive of any study leave you require to maintain yourself on the PCT performers List and achieve the standard required for your GP appraisal during third and fourth years of service
- 32 days plus 8 Bank Holidays (total of 300 hours), and 3 days (22.5 hours) Study Leave inclusive of any study leave you require to maintain yourself on the PCT performers List and achieve the standard required for your GP appraisal for staff with more than 4 years of service.
5. Holiday Buy-Back
BrisDoc operates a flexible holiday arrangement (called ‘Buy Back’) to enable all staff to ‘sell’ holiday back to BrisDoc at their normal rate of pay. This only applies to holiday above the statutory minimum that has not been used, and must be agreed in advance with your Line Manager at least 4 weeks before 31st December. Holiday entitlement not used by the correct date or agreed to be bought back by BrisDoc will usually be lost.
Annual leave must be spread across the year rather than leaving it until the end as requests are subject to current staffing levels – managers will notify their team members at 6 monthly reviews.
6. Requesting Annual Leave
6.1 Notice for Annual Leave Requests
All requests for annual leave must be submitted and approved through Rotamaster in advance by the employee’s line manager. Staff must complete an Annual Leave Request Form:
The above form is located at https://brisdoc.rotamasterweb.co.uk/SelfService/Leave
Employees should not book holidays until their request has been formally authorised.
Employees should endeavour to give as much notice as possible of proposed annual leave dates (see table below).
No more than two weeks paid annual leave may be taken at any one time without the prior written agreement of line manager particularly at peak times e.g., school holidays. Longer holiday requests are left to manager’s discretion.
BrisDoc is a 24/7 service and has services that are open on Public Holidays – we therefore need the cooperation of all staff during these busy times.
| Request for… | Notification by employee |
| 1-3 days of annual leave | 4-week notice although discretion by manager can be used. |
| More than 3 days annual leave but less than 2 weeks | 8-week notice |
| 2 weeks or more | 26-week notice |
BrisDoc will try to co-operate with the employee’s holiday plans where possible, but this is always subject to the requirements of the Company’s business and to adequate staffing levels being maintained at all times. This requires flexibility from all staff to work as one team providing cover for vacant shifts in order to maximize holiday choice for everyone. Staff can support this process by swapping shifts or arranging holiday cover direct with colleagues.
6.2 Guidelines for Booking Annual Leave
Providing continuity and quality of service are paramount and therefore when booking your holiday please bear in mind the following guidelines:
6.2.1Out of Hours Team
| OOH Operational Shift Managers | No more than 2 away at one time during weekdays.
No more than 3 away at one time during weekdays (dependent on Shift Manager rota). |
| WACC | No more than 2 away at one time during weekdays.
No more than 3 away at one time during weekdays |
| Call Handlers | No more than 2 away at one time during weekends. |
| Drivers / Hosts | No more than 2 away at one time during weekdays.
No more than 4 away at one time during weekdays (dependent on Shift Manager rota). |
| Nurses | No more than one nurse away based on the shifts allocated in the rota during weekends (and bank holidays). |
6.2.2 Broadmead Medical Centre Staff
| Management Team | Both the Practice Manager and the Assistant Practice Manager should not be away at any one time |
| Receptionists | No more than two away at any one time. |
| GPs | No more than one away at any one time. |
| Nursing team | No more than one away at any one time. |
6.2.3 Walk-in Centre (WIC)
| Nurses | No more than one away at any one time. |
6.2.4 IUC PL
| GPs | No more than one away at any one time. |
| Call handlers | No more than one away at any one time. |
6.2.5 Osprey
| HR Department | No more than 2 of the HR team away at any one time, ensuring that all daily tasks are covered appropriately. |
| Rota Team | No more than 2 away at any one time. |
| Digital Team | No more than one away at any one time. |
| Patient Safety Team | No more than two managers away and/or one other at any one time. |
| Practice Services | No more than one away at any one time. |
| Executive Board | No more than 2 Directors away at any one time. |
7. Bank Holidays
Due to the particular demands placed on BrisDoc by patients on public holidays, some members of staff will be expected to work on public holidays if it falls on their normal working day and is part of their contractual terms and conditions. All staff on a BrisDoc contract may choose to request annual leave for a public holiday but the requirements set out in this paragraph will apply.
7.1 General Public Holidays
The general Public Holidays that fall within the annual leave year consist of:
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- May Day
- Spring Bank Holiday
- August Bank Holiday
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- New Years Day
If a Public Holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday or Tuesday is usually designated as a general public holiday. Please refer to gov.uk for the confirmed list in a given calendar year (https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays).
8. Sickness and Annual Leave
8.1 Sickness Absence During a Period of Pre-booked Annual Leave
Should you be incapacitated for work due to short term[2] sickness or injury during any period of pre-booked annual leave (whether in whole or in part) you may request that this period of annual leave be reimbursed by notifying your line manager by telephone (or email or writing if you do not get through by telephone). If you are outside the UK, you should do so as soon as is practicably possible and no later than 3 calendar days after the commencement of the sickness. The period of annual leave may only be reimbursed at BrisDoc’s discretion. Reimbursement will only be considered where you fell seriously ill or you sustained a serious injury. You have no contractual right to reimbursement and, before considering whether reimbursement is appropriate in the circumstances, you must deliver to BrisDoc a relevant medical certificate covering the period of incapacity. The cost, if any, of the certificate shall be reimbursed by BrisDoc on the production of a receipt. Failure to produce this documentation will result in no further leave being added to your entitlement to cover the period of ill-health.
If you are absent from work, due to sickness, immediately prior to or immediately after a period of booked annual leave, you may be required to provide your line manager with a medical certificate. Failure to do so will result in unauthorized absence which will be investigated in line with BrisDoc’s Disciplinary Procedure. For more information about sickness before, during or after annual leave see BrisDoc’s Sickness Absence Policy.
8.2 Annual Leave Accrual During Long-Term Sickness Absence
During periods of long-term[3] sickness, annual leave is accrued based on the contractual entitlement.
8.3 Taking Annual Leave During Sickness Absence
While no staff member would be asked to take annual leave while entitled to sick leave, if you are on long term sick and wish to take any annual leave during this time you are expected to notify your line manager. This is for the purpose that sick leave/ pay will stop for the duration of your holiday and normal pay resume during this period. If a staff member may be in financial detriment due to sick pay entitlement but have unused annual leave entitlement that they wish to use, please discuss this with the workforce team.
9. Annual Leave During Maternity / Paternity / Adoption Leave
Annual leave will continue to accrue during maternity / paternity / adoption leave against the annual leave terms and conditions as stated in the employee’s contract of employment.
An employee may not take annual leave during the entitlement to maternity / paternity / adoption leave.
10. Termination of Employment
On the termination of your employment, you are entitled to be paid for any accrued annual leave for that holiday year that has not been taken by the date of termination – this also applies if you are summarily dismissed (i.e., dismissed without notice).
If, on the date of termination of your employment, you have taken more annual leave than you have accrued in that holiday year, you will be required to reimburse BrisDoc in respect of such unearned annual leave. BrisDoc shall be entitled, as a result of your agreement to the terms of your contract of employment, to deduct the value of the unearned annual leave from any final payment of salary to be made to you.
Appendix 1: Process for requesting Annual Leave
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Change register
Date of amendment: July 2011
Amendment(s):
- Added Section 1: Policy Statement in line with BrisDoc’s 4 Focus Areas.
- Amended Section 4:
- Section 4.1: Changes to statutory leave entitlements – now 28 days inclusive of bank holidays.
- Added sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 in light of employing staff on different terms and conditions of employment since 1st January 2009.
- Section 5:
- Holiday Buy Back applies to all staff, not just non-clinical and nursing staff.
- Deleted the sentence “and under no circumstances will payment in lieu be made for holiday entitlement that is lost through not being exercised by the correct date” – payment will be made at the discretion of the manager.
Added the words: “annual leave is sold back to BrisDoc at normal rate of pay”.
- Section 6.1: Added “Staff must complete an Annual Leave Request Form (see Appendix 2)”
Added length of notice to requesting A/L that lasts 2 weeks or more – now 26 weeks
- Amended Section 6.2: Updated guidance on booking annual leave for each service
- Amended Section 8.1: Changed the sentence “If you are absent from work, due to sickness, immediately prior to or immediately after a period of booked annual leave, you are required to provide your line manager with a medical certificate” To “If you are absent from work, due to sickness, immediately prior to
- Section 8.2: Changed the sentence “During periods of long term[1] sickness, annual leave is not accrued although BrisDoc may grant this with absolute discretion” to “During periods of long-term[2] sickness, annual leave is accrued based on the contractual entitlement. “
- Section 8.3: This has been added to the policy
- Section 9: Changed title to include “Paternity and Adoption” Leave.
Also amended the paragraph “During the first 26 weeks of your maternity leave (i.e., the period of Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML)), you will accrue annual leave. If you intend on returning to work at the end of your maternity leave, you will accrue annual leave for the period of additional maternity leave (AML) (i.e. the last 26 weeks) upon your return to work. If you however, decide NOT to return to work at the end of your maternity leave, you will not receive the annual leave accrued during the period of AML“TO “Annual leave will continue to accrue during maternity / paternity / adoption leave against the annual leave terms and conditions as stated in the employee’s contract of employment.
An employee may not take annual leave during the entitlement to maternity / paternity / adoption leave.”
- Section 10: Changed the paragraph “No payment in lieu of accrued contractual annual leave will be made to you in the event of the termination of your employment for gross misconduct or in the event that you give inadequate notice to terminate your employment or you leave before your contractual notice period has expired”. Even if an employee is summarily dismissed, they must still receive payment in lieu of accrued contractual annual leave.
Date of amendment: July 2020
Amendment(s):
- Section 1: BrisDoc’s commitment added
- Section 2: Title changed to scope
- Section 4: Updated leave allowances
- Section 6.1: Updated to mention leave request to be made on Rotamaster
- Section 6.2: Service managers asked to update leave guidelines, service names and roles
- Section 7: Advice for Line managers on where to find Bank Holiday information
- Appendix 1: Updated to include Rotamaster
- Appendix 2: Deleted
Related Policies
- Sickness Absence Policy
- Equality & Diversity Policy
- Maternity, Paternity & Adoption Policy
Date of amendment: October 2023
Amendment(s):
- Tile page: Change to job titles.
- Section 1: Removal of BrisDoc business model.
- Section 7.1: Additional bank holidays: All co-owners will be entitled to a holiday with a normal day’s pay on the additional bank holiday (pro-rate for part-time co-owners) if there are additional bank holidays.
- Last page: Added footnotes
- Changed employee/worker to co-owner.
- Rewording/some grammar changes
Tables
| Date | Reviewed and amended by | Revision details | Issue number |
| 01st August 2006 | C Browne | 1 | |
| 01st February 2008 | C Browne | 2 | |
| 01st July 2011 | C Browne | 3 | |
| 01st July 2020 | M Batten/S Aubertin | 4 | |
| 30th January 2022 | L Meekhums | Amended template | 4 |
| 20th October 2023 | E. Veale | NHS Grad reviewed, only needed references updating for them and a few tweaks. No need for People Board
Re-worded/grammar changes |
5.1 |
[1] Some staff have moved onto the new T&Cs even if they were employed before 1st January 2009 if their job role has changed at BrisDoc.
[2] Short Term Sickness = short periods of sickness, normally less than 4 weeks
[3] Long Term Sickness = long period(s) of sickness absence normally with a high number of days of absence but over few periods, normally lasting more than 4 weeks
[4] Long Term Sickness = long period(s) of sickness absence normally with a high number of days of absence but over few periods, normally lasting more than 4 weeks
[5] Long Term Sickness = long period(s) of sickness absence normally with a high number of days of absence but over few periods, normally lasting more than 4 weeks
[1] 4 Long Term Sickness = long period(s) of sickness absence normally with a high number of days of absence but over few periods, normally lasting more than 4 weeks
[2] Long Term Sickness = long period(s) of sickness absence normally with a high number of days of absence but over few periods, normally lasting more than 4 weeks