Sample: Generic life threatening diseases policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide clarity on the company’s views and commitments with regard to assisting employees who may contract a chronic/life threatening disease, which includes HIV and AIDS. It aims to:

  • provide a consistent set of guidelines for managers
  • ensure confidentiality
  • ensure the fair and consistent treatment of all employees
  • inform employees of their rights and benefits
  • provide an education framework

The company believes that a responsible approach to chronic/life threatening diseases involves maintaining the interests of the company, its employees and the community in which we operate. The protection of our employees, the benefit funds and the community at large is a primary objective. It is in the interest of all employees that benefit funds are protected from excessive costs to ensure that the purpose for which they were designed is best served, i.e. the welfare of employees and their dependants; in the workplace, at home and after their working careers have ended.

The company believes that an essential element in fighting disease is knowledge on which medical self-management can be based. It is an underlying principle that ignorance of a serious medical condition is a dangerous approach and ignoring symptoms prevents early and accurate diagnosis and, therefore, prompt and appropriate care.

Employees who have a life threatening disease will be treated with the same sensitivity and compassion as with any other employee. The company will endeavour to create a supportive environment within which employees who are HIV positive are able to divulge their HIV status and receive the necessary support. Information regarding the medical condition of employees is kept strictly confidential at all times. No disclosure is allowed unless with the written and informed consent of the employee. Employees with HIV or AIDS won’t be discriminated against.

The policy will be communicated to all employees and will be updated as and when the need arises.

Structure

An important part of this strategy is to ensure infrastructure inputs are in place at each site to facilitate regional implementation. An audit is in place to evaluate progress and whether or not agreed outputs are being met..

Behaviour and attitude change

The major focus of the interventions which form part of this strategy is to achieve behaviour and attitude change. This is an integral component, which will be measured through a KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) survey. This survey will be carried out as part of the initial steps to determine what issues will be addressed. The survey will be repeated every eighteen months at all sites. The KAP survey is designed to:

  • Set benchmarks and identify the issues
  • Measure knowledge about transmission and identify misconceptions and myths
  • Identify sexual behaviour and practices and barriers to behaviour and attitude change
  • Identify attitudes, fears and stigma which may result in discrimination
  • Ensure the interventions are targeted and focused
  • Evaluate and measure the effectiveness of the interventions
  • Inform the strategy in the future

Strategic outputs

In addition to focusing on behaviour and attitude change the company will set specific and measurable outputs, which will continue to be measured through a prevalence survey. The objective is to track the progression of this epidemic within the company. This anonymous and unlinked testing will comply with all the ethical requirements.

These outputs will be evaluated and reviewed on an annual basis.

Key elements that make up this strategy

Key elements of the strategy include the cost and impact analysis, which provides the company with vital information. This in turn informs the strategy in the future, together with the KAP and prevalence survey.

Ensuring HIV/AIDS management competence

The company acknowledges that a crucial objective is to provide key stakeholders with the necessary information and skills to manage HIV and AIDS at the workplace. This will include managers, shop stewards, task teams and, in time, personnel. To this end workshops will be developed that are tailored to meet specific needs. Skilled facilitators will conduct these workshops.

Developing support structures

The company is committed to the well-being of all employees and sees the development of internal and/or external support structures as an integral part of this strategy into the future. To this end carefully selected and trained key individuals will be given the skills to be able to provide emotional and psychological support. Key and selected individuals will be provided with differing and appropriate levels of skills in basic counselling techniques. If Occupational Health Practitioners are employed in the future they will be provided with in-depth counselling skills, as well as clinical skills in HIV/AIDS and related illnesses. This element will be addressed as part of the five-year plan.

Education and awareness

Developing and implementing an effective education programme that focuses on behaviour and attitude change is a fundamental part of reducing new infections. The education intervention will be multifaceted and directed by the results of the KAP survey. This includes targeted campaigns which are measured, peer education at all sites, external experts, campaigns, workshops, videos, etc.

To provide a structure to campaigns and ensure communication occurs at all levels, the communication model below will be applied. This ensures all employees have a clear role to play in communicating information or messages.

Education needs will be identified through the KAP survey results and the appropriate action taken to address these needs. This will be initiated and co-ordinated centrally. Education to prevent new infections will form the initial part of the strategy and is a priority.

Peer education forms the backbone of the education intervention. Peer educators will be trained to apply an effective behaviour change model. This model provides both motivators for behaviour change and enablers to support this change. Peer educators act as architects to create an environment which supports the appropriate behaviour and attitude. Peer educators will be carefully selected and receive ongoing training to fulfil their role.

The KAP survey will evaluate the effectiveness of all aspects of the education intervention.

Voluntary counselling and testing (VCT)

Essential elements in fighting disease are timely diagnosis and the knowledge programme. In this context, the company is striving to create a culture of openness and acceptance within which employees feel secure enough to disclose their HIV status.

VCT will form part of the second phase of this strategy. This campaign will serve to encourage:

  • all employees to be tested and know their HIV status
  • HIV negative people to remain negative and HIV positive people to register on the treatment programme provided by the Government

VCT protocols will be put in place to ensure best practice and compliance with legislative requirements.

The success of this campaign will be monitored on a regular basis and specific targets established on an ongoing basis.

Managed health care

This element of the strategy will be part of the second phase and will be designed to assist with the management of existing infections. To achieve this, a comprehensive and proactive managed health care programme will be developed.

Monitoring and evaluation

The effectiveness of the strategy will be monitored on a regular basis through the annual audits of each site, the prevalence survey which is repeated every four years and the KAP survey which is repeated every 18 months. All of this information will form the basis on which the strategy will be updated.