VPN access will be provided for all staff working from home.

Staff who request to work from home on an ad-hoc basis or through the flexible working procedure are expected to have all the required equipment as outlined within the DSE Risk Assessment prior to working from home. There is no expectation for the department to purchase this equipment for staff.

To work safely from home staff must have either:

• a desktop computer keyboard and mouse, or
• a laptop with separate keyboard and mouse

The only equipment that must be supplied by the Trust is a work phone should the role be required to make and accept external calls.

Departments may agree to purchase equipment for staff should budgets allow this. Where a laptop is purchased for a member of staff, they are required to have a separate keyboard and mouse to meet DSE requirements.

Staff who work from home permanently or where the Trust has required them to work from home (i.e. due to organisational change and reduction on office space) will be provided with the below equipment:

• keyboard
• laptop
• phone
• monitor
• chair
• desk

Where staff already have access to a chair and a desk at home, these must comply with the DSE risk assessment.

To request equipment staff will need to log a request via the IT Service Portal. Ergonomics can support with assessments; these would be completed via teams and not in person. Staff who work regularly from home will either retain a Trust workstation or be allocated a work area using the principles of 'hot-desking' within Trust premises for the time they are expected to attend on site.

Staff are responsible for keeping all Trust equipment in good condition, reasonable wear and tear expected and for reporting any damage or malfunction to the line manager and IT.

Staff should ensure all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent theft. Any theft of property must be reported to their manager as soon as reasonably possible.

Staff are required to cooperate in enabling any Trust property to be returned upon termination of employment.

Maintenance

The Trust remains responsible for set-up, maintenance, repair and PAT testing of equipment it provides. Staff may be required to return equipment at intervals to allow these responsibilities to be fulfilled. 

Note: If whilst working at home the member of staff’s IT system goes down, they must make immediate enquiring with the IT service desk to restore access. If system access is a Trust owned problem the member of staff will continue to be paid for their time whilst the Trust resolve the reported problem. If the IT access if a problem with the member of staff’s own computer then they will be expected to work the time back, take it as annual leave, unpaid, or to attend the Trust site.