41,000 nurse hours lost
Gary Fitzpatrick • Published 18 May 2012 08:50
5 Comments
THERE were 41,000 working hours lost at NHS Fife's operational division in March, new figures reveal.
The absenteeism problem was worst among nursing and midwifery staff where the sickness rate reached 8.26 per cent - more than double the target figure.
The overall absenteeism for NHS Fife's operational division, which covers hospitals, was 6.42 per cent in March, the highest in the past three years.
In a report to yesterday's ops division meeting, Sharon Hutchins, deputy director of human resources, stated, "It is disappointing to note that the absence rate has increased again to a peak of 6.42 per cent which is also above the NHS Fife average.
"The highest rates are in Nursing and Midwifery (8.26 per cent) Support Services (6.77 per cent), which is a Fife-wide service managed by the division, AHPs (Allied Health Profession) (5.71 per cent) and Healthcare Sciences (5.38 per cent).
"A group is being set up in the division with the aim of looking at the absences in more detail in an attempt to better understand the reasons for this level of absence and in turn enable it to be pro-actively managed.
"Some similar but higher-level work has been undertaken by the Fife-wide Attendance Management Group which has resulted in some work being taken forward."
NHS Fife board member John Winton said, "We need to be given an explanation for these levels. It's not as if there was particularly bad weather at these times."
Rona King, NHS Fife director of human resources, said, "The operational division in common with all other areas of NHS Fife is committed to managing absence and attaining the national standard for NHS Scotland of four per cent."
She said the absence level for March equated to a loss of 40,929 hours over all staff groups with the 8.26 per cent figure relating specifically to nursing and midwifery staff.
"Work continues to understand the reasons for this increase in the level of absence and to address these in partnership with staff and staff representatives," Ms King added.
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 18 May 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
-
maclam
317 posts
May 18, 09:01
Report commentif they get no pay when they are off work the attendance figures will rocket.
the private section where the majority of employees get no sick pay when off work does not have such a high level of absenteeism.
the welfare of the general public needs all health staff at work as often as possible.
Recommend?
Yes 7
No 10
-
bigbarryobama
26 posts
May 18, 12:58
Report commentTry doing a backbreaking 12 hour shift in the utter chaos that is the new Victoria hospital and then see how healthy you are at the end of the week! No doubt there are skivvers out there but the majority of this sick leave is through genuine illness and injury
Recommend? Yes 24
No 5
-
redrobin
285 posts
May 18, 14:22
Report comment -
redrobin
285 posts
May 18, 15:26
Report commentso we set targets for sick leave now do we?...my wife has worked for 33 years in nhs and had 8 days sick leave in total and now has to bring her own toilet paper...joke joke ..joke..joke
Recommend? Yes 8
No 16
-
******
May 19, 00:25
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:25
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:26
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:27
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:27
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:28
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:28
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:29
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 00:30
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
******
May 19, 11:33
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
-
FifePatients
15 posts
May 20, 01:06
Report commentAnother example of weak leadership and incompetent management. Sack the board. www.fifepatients.com
Recommend? Yes 10
No 0
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
