Welfare advisor offers support for MoD civilians Published Nov. 7, 2008 By Karen Abeyasekere 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- With 520 Ministry of Defence employees at RAF Mildenhall, somewhere along the line some of them will need someone to turn to if they run into problems at work or home (which may affect their work). Allison Holloway is a welfare advisor working for the MoD, and provides an occupational welfare service to staff and management working in the West Suffolk, Norfolk and Waterbeach areas. Her role is to help keep people effective at work, and she offers independent, impartial, confidential and non-judgemental advice and guidance on all issues, whether work-related or personal. "I can't tell people what to do, only advise them. The individual concerned has to (ultimately) take responsibility for their actions and decisions," said Mrs. Holloway. "If I can't help or advise someone, I might refer them to someone else, either within the MoD or externally, who can." Mrs. Holloway said the welfare advisor often encourages people to see their doctor, or refers them to an outside agency such as the citizens advice bureau, or, internally, encourage them to talk to their line managers. However, in some cases when this isn't possible or appropriate - for example, if the problem is with the line manager - the welfare advisor will explore other avenues, for example, the MoD's business support team or the union, if the person involved is a member. In some instances, such as discipline or restoring efficiency cases, a case advisor will get involved, to advise on policy and procedure. In addition to MoD staff, line managers, whether British or American civilian or military, can contact Mrs. Holloway if they have an MoD civilian working for them and have concerns for any reason. "Sometimes an individual may be struggling at work," Mrs. Holloway explained. "The line manager is better placed to pick up on early warning signs, as he or she will know their employee a lot better than I do; there may be problems at home that the (MoD civilians) maybe wouldn't feel comfortable disclosing to their line manager. "We are independent and neutral, so people sometimes feel more comfortable talking to a welfare advisor rather than their line manager," she said. "I do get a lot of line managers referring individuals to me - though it must be with the individual's consent. The earlier you have welfare intervention, the easier it can often be to resolve the situation more quickly." One of the many issues Mrs. Holloway deals with is to help people who are off work and recorded as long-term sick. Where appropriate, and with the individual's consent, she often becomes involved with referrals to occupational health. When MoD civilians are off sick, whether long term or short term, it is the line manager's responsibility to call the People, Pay and Pensions Agency to report their absence. They will need to provide the individual's name and staff number, and the date sick leave started. Also, they should contact the MoD business support team to let them know of the absence. Upon return to work, the employee then calls the PPPA to inform them their sick leave has ended. The OWS must be contacted in certain circumstances including when there is a death in service; someone is admitted to hospital; is seriously ill; absent as a result of an accident at work; is sick and lives alone; is sick for more than three weeks, or is absent because of stress or depression. One of the roles of the OWS helpline is to write to individuals who are off sick, and offer them support. Welfare advisors such as Mrs. Holloway also provide post trauma support. They have a number of specially trained advisors, though their service can only be used if the trauma is caused by something which happens at work, such as firefighters dealing with traumatic situations including casualties or deaths as a result of fires or road traffic accidents. One way to help an individual is to meet with the relevant parties. "If we feel (the situation) appropriate, we may hold a case conference," Mrs. Holloway said. This means a number of people, including the welfare officer, line manager and representative from the MoD business support team on base, get together and discuss the case and try to find solutions to deal with the problem. "It's all about encouraging people to be upfront and honest," she said. "If they are off because of work-related stress, we need to be told so we can do our best to help and get something done to resolve the problem. "Sometimes, not everything is clear cut - there are some things you can't change, so in those circumstances we have to help people face that and deal with their situation." Other issues that the welfare officer deals with include debt problems, harassment and discipline issues. She often refers people to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund, which is a charity set up 120 years ago for civil service members and their families. It provides financial assistance, in the form of a grant, in situations including when someone is off long term sick and may be on half-pay. They can apply for the grant to help pay for essential living costs. "It can also help if you have a family member with a disability - they can find somewhere to provide respite care, and it makes a huge difference to the people who need it," Mrs. Holloway said. When people contact the welfare service, the response time will depend on the priority of the situation. "If someone contacts me and says their issue is urgent, I'll contact them within 24 hours," she said. "If it is a routine matter, I will contact them within two working days, then within up to 10 working days for any subsequent actions." The MoD welfare advisor says she is always willing to talk to people about the services she provides for civilians and line managers, and is available to speak at meetings or commanders' calls. For more information, call Mrs. Holloway at 238-3028. The MoD BST can be reached at DSN 238-3796 or DSN 238-3136. To contact the OWS helpline, call 0800 345 7047.