We are delighted to announce that the trust that runs Addenbrooke’s Hospital and The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge has been awarded our Carer Friendly Tick Award – Employers.
The award is great news for both the employer and staff with almost one quarter of over 11,000 staff at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust having some type of caring responsibilities outside of work. This category of the Carer Friendly Tick Award recognises employers that identify and support staff who are also looking after a family member or friend.
Combining work and caring for someone can be challenging but the right support means people are much more able to do this, which helps both the employer and their employees.
Cambridge University Hospital’s Staff Carers Working Group said, “Around 24% of our staff have reported that they have caring responsibilities outside work.
“Balancing work and personal life was agreed by CUH as part of the wider NHS People Promise work strand and the Trust wants to do all it can to support these staff and prioritise wellbeing. Caring takes its toll emotionally and physically, and we applied for the Carer Friendly Tick Award in order to assure current and future staff that CUH is a compassionate, supportive and flexible employer and that managers are carer aware and will do their best to support their team members who care.”
There are still many people across the area who are combining work and caring, but who don’t recognise that they are unpaid carers, or realise that there is support available when you’re looking after a family member or friend.
This is why employers recognising and supporting unpaid carers in this way is so important.
Jill Nooij, our Carer Awareness and Voice Coordinator said, “Cambridge University Hospital is one of the largest employers in Cambridge. It’s fantastic to see them recognised for their commitment to identifying and supporting carers in their workforce. One in every nine employees juggle work and caring.”
Working for a carer friendly employer can make a huge difference to the life of an unpaid carer. With the Carer’s Leave Act soon in force, employers such as Cambridge University Hospitals are in a strong position to ensure they are doing the very best they can to support their employees.
If you or your organisation want to know more about the Carer Friendly Tick Award and how you can be given recognition for how you identify and support carers, then please see www.caringtogether.org/carer-friendly-tick, email [email protected] or call us on 01480 499090. We would be happy to speak to you.
