NHS Lothian staff working in fine health

Published on Monday 8 June 2009 11:02

NHS Lothian is on target to meet national goals on staff sickness absence, officials have revealed.

Figures from this year show an average absence rate of four per cent, significantly better than any other large health board in Scotland.

But other senior members warned that more had to be done to help those who were off ill – particularly long-term – as a result of their work with the organisation.

NHS Lothian's vice-chairman Eddie Egan said: "We are still making our staff ill and if we want to be in the top 25 (healthcare organisations) in the world, then we have to improve this.

"Yes, there is a minority who abuse our 'Rolls Royce' sick pay scheme but there are also a lot of people (who have been off sick) who would love to come back but can't."

During a presentation of a human resources strategy to NHS Lothian board members, director of organisation development Alan Boyter also said work was being done to monitor reasons for absence more closely.

He said he didn't want those who had domestic crises – such as an ill child or flooded home – to feel the need to pull 'a sicky' and instead be honest about their reasons for not coming into work.

"We still have much to do on attendance management," he said.