Clergy Sickness, ill health and incapacity
CLERGY ADVICE NOTE
CLERGY ILL-HEALTH AND INCAPACITY
Ill-health and absence due to ill-health is a common problem in most organisations. It is a problem that needs to be dealt with continually and consistently. The Church in Wales is no exception. However, within the Church in Wales dealing with clergy who are ill, and the resultant needs of parishes is made more complex because in some cases clergy have not notified their Bishop or Archdeacon that they are ill and unavailable for duty.
The Church in Wales recognises that clergy are its most valuable resource and when clergy are ill and unable to fulfil their duties it has a direct effect on the local church community, the Deanery and the Diocese. Management of absence is therefore essential to ensure the effective work of parishes and in developing fair and consistent practices for all clergy.
The following arrangements seek to ensure that all clergy are treated sympathetically and equitably.
Notification of absence
If you are unable to fulfil your duties because of illness you (or someone acting on your behalf) should telephone the Ministry/ Mission Area Leader / Area Dean at the earliest opportunity. This will allow the Ministry/ Mission Area Leader / Area Dean to make practical arrangements for covering duties during the period of ill-health.
It would be helpful as far as you are able to do so to let your Ministry/ Mission Area Leader / Area Dean know the:
- The reason for the absence.
- The likely date of return to work.
- Whether the absence is attributable to an injury sustained whilst at work.
The Ministry/ Mission Area Leader / Area Dean will record the information you give on the sample form (Annex 1) attached and will send this to the Archdeacon who will monitor your absence before passing the information to the Bishops Office where it will be held confidentially on your personal file.
All absences due to ill-health of between 1 and 7 days must be recorded using a Self-Certification of Absence. A sample self-certification of absence form is attached at Annex 2.
Continued sickness absence – of more than 7 days
If your ill-health extends beyond 7 days, then you must inform your Archdeacon. It would be helpful as far as you are able to do so to let your Archdeacon know:
- The reason for the absence.
- The likely date of return to work.
- Whether the absence is attributable to an injury sustained whilst at work.
The Archdeacon will record the information you give on the sample form attached (Annex 3) which will be retained confidentially on your personal file.
For absences that extend beyond 7 days a Medical Certificate known as a “Fit Note” signed by your doctor will be required.
Usually such certificates indicate that you should refrain from work for a given period. This will be sufficient to confirm your fitness to return to work when the medical period has expired.
If the Certificate does not indicate a date for return to duty, then you will be required to obtain a further certificate from your doctor before you can re-commence duty. This requirement is to ensure that you do not return to duty before your doctor has judged you are medically fit to do so. Fit Notes must be returned to the People Services Team at 2 Callaghan Square, Cardiff, CF10 5BT
Return to duty – following 7 or more days absence
When you are able to return to duty you will be expected to contact your Archdeacon. Your Archdeacon will ascertain whether any assistance can be afforded you in your return. If you are returning to duty following a lengthy period of absence, then it is absolutely essential that this is managed properly. The last thing the Church in Wales would want is for you to be ill again because of not taking sufficient care to ensure an appropriate return to normal duties. The Archdeacon will be required to complete a short report using Annex 4 which will be retained on a confidential file retained by your Archdeacon. The report will indicate what arrangements have been agreed between you to accommodate your return.
This may include one of the following recommendations:
- No further action
- Referral to the Church in Wales Occupational Health Service
- Consideration of counselling support
- Referral to the Churches Counselling Service
- Any other support requirements
It is accepted that there may be circumstances when the nature of the illness may make it preferable for you to discuss your return to duty with someone of the same sex. Appropriate arrangements will be made in such cases through your Archdeacon.
When you are able to return to duty you will be required to notify the People Services Team by completing the absence form at Annex 5.
Occupational Health Services
The Church in Wales has arrangements with Occupational Health Services across Wales. You may be referred to the Occupational Health Services at any time during your period of ill-health. This may be to ascertain an independent view as to your medical fitness to undertake particular duties or, if you have a condition which renders you disabled, to identify appropriate measures for assisting you in your duties.
Referral to the Occupational Health Services will take place in full consultation with you and will normally be considered where sickness extends beyond 28 consecutive days or 28 days during a period of 3 months. You will be referred to Occupational Health Services at the latest following a period of 6 months sickness absence.
If the Occupational Health Services prognosis of your condition is good and a return to duty is likely then suitable arrangements for your return to work will be made.
If, however you are deemed to be unfit to continue in your duties then following consultation with you your licence may be terminated on the basis of permanent incapacity.
If you and your Bishop are not agreed that you are permanently incapacitated, then your case will be referred for consideration by a Medical Board.
The Medical Board will advise on the most appropriate course of action, including:
- Permanent incapacity
- Review to allow for recovery
- Return to duty
- Referral to Counselling Service and further review
Where permanent incapacity is established immediate steps will be taken to terminate your licence with notice and to access as appropriate the Clergy Pension Scheme.
Where it is determined that full recovery is likely the Medical Board will identify a likely timescale for return to duty. Should you be unable to return to duty within the specified timescale then the Medical Board will require a further occupational health report to assist them in determining your case.
Where it is determined that an immediate return to duty can be effected the Medical Board will require the Diocesan Bishop to undertake the necessary return to duty interview.
Where a cleric fails to co-operate with the decision of the Medical Board the matter will be considered a breach of conduct and your case will be referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal.
Welfare and contact
Archdeacons have been advised that they must maintain contact with you during any period of absence and similarly you should also maintain contact if only to assist in ensuring that your duties continue to be covered during your absence. The purpose of keeping in touch is as much about seeing if there is anything the Church in Wales can do to help as well as an opportunity for communication between colleagues.
Occupational sickness payments
The introduction of this procedure does not affect entitlement to clergy sick pay (details of which are set out in the Canons of the Church in Wales).
- Full stipend and any regular payments made in respect of expenses, less any statutory sickness benefit entitlement for 26 weeks.
- For any continuing period of absence beyond 26 weeks one half of the stipend less any statutory sickness benefit to which he/she would have been entitled.
- Beyond 52 weeks there is no entitlement to stipend payments although the Bishop will have discretion to extend half stipend in very exceptional circumstances.
Recording of absence
All absences will be recorded at the Representative Body utilising the self-certification and Fit Note certificates. As part of the on-going commitment for monitoring and supporting clergy when they are ill a six-monthly report is prepared for each Bishop on levels of sickness in the Diocese and an annual report is prepared for the Maintenance of Ministry Sub-committee on levels of absence due to illness.
- Download the Notification Forms (Word)