Scottish Government
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Sickness cut saves NHS a million hours
A 'significant fall' in NHS Scotland's sickness absence rate in the past two years has made staff available for a million more hours of patient care, according to figures released today.
The reduction - from 5.55 per cent of all working hours in 2006-7 to 4.95 per cent in 2008-9 - represents a 'sustained downward trend'.
It means staff were available for work on the equivalent of nearly 44,000 days, rather than requiring sick leave to be covered by colleagues or temporary staff, saving the health service money.
The Scottish Government has given more than £300,000 to NHS boards across Scotland to fund projects designed to reduce rates of sickness absence.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:
"This government has been very clear that levels of sickness absence in the NHS must be reduced and these figures show a welcome downward trend.
"They show that the hard work of NHS boards to reduce sickness rates - coupled with investment from the Scottish Government - is bearing fruit, which is good news for patients and for staff themselves.
"Despite this progress, however, sickness absence is still higher than we would want and I expect all boards to continue their efforts to promote good health and enable staff to return to work as quickly as possible."
The figures were revealed today in a PQ response (S3W 27727) to Jackson Carlaw MSP.
