Call for case studies, practice examples and policies: work and terminal illness

We know that there is a strong link between employment and wellbeing. Work is a core part of many people’s lives; and good work can provide stability, security and a regular income. The benefits of high quality work go beyond financial wellbeing, providing a sense of purpose and meaning; belonging and identity, personal development and enhanced self-esteem. 

Our workplaces are where we build friendships and they can play a big part in our social lives too. Yet terminally ill people and those that care for them often find themselves giving up work and becoming unemployed, when they might have chosen to carry on working if appropriate support and adjustments had been available. 

How can work help to maximise wellbeing at the end of life?

We currently have very little information on the number of people of working age who are living with terminal illness and the employment policies and practices that are in place to support them. 

There is also very little that recognises the unique and challenging context that a terminal illness diagnosis during working age presents for individuals, their partners/carers, and their employers.

We have partnered with Marie Curie to learn more about how we can maximise the workplace wellbeing experience of people with terminal illness and their partners/carers. 

Send us your case studies, examples and policies by Friday 22 of April 2022

We are looking for research, policy and practice examples to help build a picture of ‘what works’ in three areas:

1. Employers’ experiences of supporting employees with a terminal illness continue in work, for example flexible working, changing the duties of a role, time off work for treatment, or providing tailored Employee Assistance Programmes.
2. Reports that capture the experiences of employees who have received support to continue working with a terminal illness.
3. Communities of care, in the community, voluntary and hospice sector that are offering support to people to help them keep working.

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More information about this project

In answering the question, ‘how can we maximise the workplace wellbeing experience of people with terminal illness and their partners/carers?’, our exploratory scoping research project, Dying Well – work and employment, seeks to: 

• Review research that has been carried out on the experience of terminal illness in working age people and assess the strength of evidence of this research.
• Gather information on the scale and nature of the issue – what does the cohort of people of working age living with terminal illness look like? 
• Identify existing research and best practice worthy of dissemination – what policies and practices do employers/VCSE organisations have in place to support employees with a terminal illness diagnosis? 
• Understand what implementation processes are needed to maximise wellbeing for this cohort further build the network of policy makers, practitioners and academics; identify research gaps for future projects.