12 August 2024

In response to feedback via various routes, including Freedom to Speak Up, the Personal Relationships at Work Policy has been updated and ratified by the Board of Directors. The revised policy includes a section on personal relationships with patients and service users and applies to all colleagues employed or appointed by Mersey Care and inclusive of Bank and Agency workers as well as volunteers and those who hold an honorary contract.

The purpose of the policy is to provide a framework to support the effective management of all personal relationships at work to ensure personal relationships between colleagues, or colleagues and patients/service users, do not compromise their work or lead to a perception from others to believe that they might.

The policy will help to:

  • Protect colleagues from allegations of favouritism, nepotism, bias and harassment
  • Prevent colleagues being in a situation where there may be a conflict of interest
  • Ensure that all colleagues feel able to speak freely and openly
  • Provide a fair and consistent approach to deal with situations where relationships develop or end at work
  • Ensure that colleagues are managed appropriately and in line with Trust policies, and to reduce the risk of compromising confidentiality
  • Advise on monitoring of this policy.

There will be a three month reset for all colleagues who need to declare a personal relationship, to enable our systems to be fully updated. 

Line managers are reminded that they can access the declarations made by their staff members at any time via ESR and should be reviewing this regularly to ensure any mitigations are put in place where a potential conflict is identified. In line with the duties set out in the policy, the Corporate Affairs Team will also provide regular downloads of the Conflicts of Interest Register to appropriate Divisional Directors, to ensure they are fully aware of any potential conflicts.

The Standards of Business Conduct Policy, in addition to guidance on how to make a declaration of interest via ESR, as well as how managers view their staff members declarations, are available on YourSpace.

Return to Trust news