Glasgow’s health board is being urged to sign up to the pregnancy loss pledge allowing employees suffering from a miscarriage to access the support they need.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) received a letter this week encouraging them to sign up to the initiative where employers commit to a “higher pregnancy loss standard” which ensures that employees going through what can be a difficult or traumatic time get the support and time off they need.
So far, 11 health trusts in England and Wales have signed up to the pledge which is being championed by Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley.
READ MORE: West Dunbartonshire to give staff struggling with pregnancy loss compassionate leave
This week, Ms Crawley has written to all of Scotland’s health boards urging them to take the pledge and improve the support available for parents who experience miscarriage.
She has been working with the Miscarriage Association to encourage employers across the country to allow employees and their partners who lose a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy to still be entitled to maternity and paternity rights and benefits.
The MP has been campaigning to have paid miscarriage leave introduced at Westminster for parents who experience miscarriage before 24 weeks and her Private Members’ Bill is due to have its second reading later this month.
As a result of her campaign to get local authorities in Scotland to sign up, there are now 10 councils which have taken the pledge including Glasgow City Council and West Dunbartonshire Council.
Commenting, MP Angela Crawley said: “The Pregnancy Loss Pledge is a fantastic initiative by the Miscarriage Association which improves support for parents who experience miscarriage.
“Hundreds of businesses, both big and small, have already signed up which means thousands of workers across the UK know that they will be supported by their employer should they experience miscarriage.”
Throughout her campaign, Ms Crawley has pushed to highlight that miscarriage is not an illness, it is a loss that can be traumatic for expectant parents and has a negative impact on their mental and physical health.
Many parents have highlighted that due to the stigma associated with miscarriage and the lack of support available, they often feel they are unable to grieve adequately.
She added: “I would encourage every health board in Scotland to take the Pregnancy Loss Pledge to ensure that their employees are supported through what can be an incredibly tough time both mentally and physically.
“Not only will this enhance their current policies for staff who experience bereavement but they will also be doing their bit in tackling the stigma associated with miscarriage.”
NHSGGC says they follow the agreed national terms and conditions set out by the Scottish Government which has confirmed its support for Ms Crawley’s private members bill.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The loss of a baby, no matter at what stage of pregnancy, is a significant and traumatic event that affects many women and their families throughout Scotland.
“We, along with many public bodies, already offer or exceed three days’ paid leave for parents who experience miscarriage or stillbirth. We strongly encourage the adoption of this process across the public sector.
As a compassionate employer, we are committed to fair work principles and the well-being of our colleagues and have extended our bereavement leave policy beyond the statutory requirements. We support Angela Crawley’s Private Members bill and call on the UK Government to use its reserved powers over employment and equality law to provide this support across all employers.”
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