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| NHS urged to curb staff sickness | |
| (2 days later) | |
| The NHS should be doing more to tackle staff sickness and promote workplace health, a think tank says. | The NHS should be doing more to tackle staff sickness and promote workplace health, a think tank says. |
| Reform, a right-of-centre group, said the health service was "shooting itself in the foot" by not making more use of the expertise it has in its workforce. | Reform, a right-of-centre group, said the health service was "shooting itself in the foot" by not making more use of the expertise it has in its workforce. |
| Figures show NHS staff take on average nearly 12 days off sick a year, while the rate is 7.2 in the private sector. | Figures show NHS staff take on average nearly 12 days off sick a year, while the rate is 7.2 in the private sector. |
| Unions said services could be improved, but there were valid reasons why NHS workers took more time off. | Unions said services could be improved, but there were valid reasons why NHS workers took more time off. |
| A spokeswoman for Unison said: "Occupational health is certainly lacking in places, but the NHS is a unique workplace. | A spokeswoman for Unison said: "Occupational health is certainly lacking in places, but the NHS is a unique workplace. |
| The problem is the culture in the NHS is quite reactive, it is shooting itself in the foot Helen Rainbow, of Reform | The problem is the culture in the NHS is quite reactive, it is shooting itself in the foot Helen Rainbow, of Reform |
| "For example, we can't have staff going on the wards after they have had things like vomiting bugs." | "For example, we can't have staff going on the wards after they have had things like vomiting bugs." |
| But Reform said there was still a lot more the health service could be doing. | But Reform said there was still a lot more the health service could be doing. |
| The group highlighted the work done by private firms such as BT which has introduced 24-hour counselling services, lunchtime exercise classes and workplace health advisers. | The group highlighted the work done by private firms such as BT which has introduced 24-hour counselling services, lunchtime exercise classes and workplace health advisers. |
| Over the past four years, sickness rates have fallen by a sixth among its 100,000-strong workforce. | Over the past four years, sickness rates have fallen by a sixth among its 100,000-strong workforce. |
| The think-tank said if the NHS followed the lead of private firms it could reduce its £3bn annual sickness bill by a third. | The think-tank said if the NHS followed the lead of private firms it could reduce its £3bn annual sickness bill by a third. |
| Absence rates | Absence rates |
| Reform's report said as the biggest employer in Europe the NHS should be taking a lead and helping its 1.3m staff get back into work when they are ill. | Reform's report said as the biggest employer in Europe the NHS should be taking a lead and helping its 1.3m staff get back into work when they are ill. |
| But instead it has one of the worst records in the public sector and has long-term absence rates that were two-thirds higher than the private sector. | But instead it has one of the worst records in the public sector and has long-term absence rates that were two-thirds higher than the private sector. |
| The report comes after the annual NHS staff survey found nearly half felt they were overstretched and unable to do their jobs properly. | The report comes after the annual NHS staff survey found nearly half felt they were overstretched and unable to do their jobs properly. |
| Helen Rainbow, one of the co-authors of the study, said: "Stress is a big factor in NHS sickness. There is a lot more it could be doing to help its staff and this in turn will improve its productivity. | Helen Rainbow, one of the co-authors of the study, said: "Stress is a big factor in NHS sickness. There is a lot more it could be doing to help its staff and this in turn will improve its productivity. |
| "The problem is the culture in the NHS is quite reactive, it is shooting itself in the foot when you think of the kind of people it employs." | "The problem is the culture in the NHS is quite reactive, it is shooting itself in the foot when you think of the kind of people it employs." |
| A Department of Health spokesman said: "The government takes the health of NHS staff seriously. | A Department of Health spokesman said: "The government takes the health of NHS staff seriously. |
| "In January, we announced a review to examine the health of NHS staff and gather evidence to start delivering improvements across the board." | "In January, we announced a review to examine the health of NHS staff and gather evidence to start delivering improvements across the board." |