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Civil Service sickness cost £25m Civil Service sickness costs £25m
(about 2 hours later)
Sickness absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service cost the taxpayer £25.6m during the last financial year. Sickness absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service cost £25.6m during the last financial year.
Workers took an average of 13.7 sick days, compared to 13.4 for the previous year. Workers in the Department for Social Development took nearly four working weeks off sick, whilst those in Regional Development were off 9.2 days.
The figures were contained in a report given to a Department of Finance and Personnel committee. Civil servants took an average of 13.7 annual sick days, a slight rise on the previous year's figure.
It pointed out the high level of absence was mainly due to staff off on long-term sickness. Declan O'Loan, SDLP, said the cost was "unacceptable". Declan O'Loan, SDLP, said the cost was "unacceptable". The NIO said a plan to tackle sickness had been drawn up.
The committee heard that a little more than 40% of staff had no recorded absences, with a further 32.7% having just one sick day. The figures on sickness for 2006/7 were contained in a report given to a Department of Finance and Personnel committee on Thursday.
The report said the high level of absence was mainly due to the 12.3% of staff off for more than 20 consecutive working days.
Mr O'Loan said he understood that there were many "harrowing and difficult" personal situations behind the figures.
Clearly this is a situation which needs more examination to see if the work situation is a cause of these illnesses Declan O'LoanSDLP assembly memberClearly this is a situation which needs more examination to see if the work situation is a cause of these illnesses Declan O'LoanSDLP assembly member
It heard that just over 40% of staff had no recorded absences, with a further 32.7% having just one sick day.
The high level of absence was mainly due to 12.3% of staff off on long-term sickness - more than 20 consecutive working days.
The sickness rate was highest among staff at administrative officer level - 18.9 days - with female officers at this grade accruing 22 sick days.
Mr O'Loan said he understood that there were many "harrowing and difficult" personal situations behind the figures.
"But we can't ignore the reality that far too many days are lost to sickness in the Civil Service," he said."But we can't ignore the reality that far too many days are lost to sickness in the Civil Service," he said.
"It is far in excess of the private sector. The cost to the taxpayer is not acceptable. It is most unfortunate that things have gone backwards instead of forward. This makes it more difficult to meet the targets which were set for 2010." Margaret Ritchie's department has the worst sickness record
He said that the main reason for long-term absence was psychiatric or psychological illnesses. . "It is far in excess of the private sector. The cost to the taxpayer is not acceptable."
Earlier this year, Finance Minister Peter Robinson said managing sickness absence was a key priority for government. Mr O'Loan said that the main reason for long-term absence was psychiatric or psychological illnesses.
It emerged that the Department of Social Development had recorded the highest sick leave level, whilst staff in the Department for Regional Development took only 8.2 days. The Department of Finance and Personnel said the main problem was the frequency and duration of long-term absence and it was tackling this.
It said the variation in figures between departments was down to differences in terms of grade, gender and age.
A spokesman added: "Ministers have now agreed a number of actions to be considered by officials, including accrued entitlement to occupational sick pay for new entrants, a focus on rehabilitation and more effective management of those on long-term absence."
He added that there was a "robust policy on inefficiency which can lead to sanctions, including dismissal".