Query as NHS staff off sick

DEMANDS have been made for an investigation into why hundreds of NHS Lothian staff are off sick.

The Liberal Democrats said an average absence rate of more than four per cent was unacceptable. NHS bosses have introduced initiatives to try to reduce the rates, and numbers have fallen. However, the figures compare badly with the private sector. Across Scotland, 6500 NHS staff are off at any one time.

Lib Dem health spokesman Ross Finnie said: "NHS workers are exposed to all kinds of bugs, so we should expect staff to take some sickness absence, but these figures look extremely high. We need to know why."