HL Deb 01 March 2000 vol 610 cc76-9WA
Earl Howe

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the average number of days of sickness absence taken by (a) nurses; (b) healthcare assistants and nursing auxiliaries; and (c) other employees, in each National Health Service Trust for each Health Service Region in the years 1998 and 1999. [HL1218]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

The information available centrally is shown in the table. We have agreed national improvement targets in sickness absence rates of 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003.

Average sickness absence rates and estimated number of days of sickness absence for directly employed NHS staff
England 1998–99
Region Number of staff (thousand WTE) Average sickness absence rate (%) Estimated annual number of days of sickness absence (million)
England
All staff 730 4.6% 7.8
Qualified nursing & midwifery (N&M) staff 245 5.2% 2.9
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 103 7.0% 1.7
Other staff 381 3.8% 3.4
Eastern
All staff 63 4.4% 0.6
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 21 5.2% 0.3
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 11 6.7% 0.2
Other staff 32 3.5% 0.3
London
All staff 122 4.3% 1.2
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 42 5.0% 0.5
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 13 6.0% 0.2
Other staff 66 3.3% 0.5
North West
All staff 107 4.6% 1.1
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 37 5.7% 0.5
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 15 7.0% 0.2
Other staff 55 3.6% 0.4
Northern &

Average sickness absence rates and estimated number of days of sickness absence for directly employed NHS staff
England 1998–99
Region Number of staff (thousand WTE) Average sickness absence rate (%) Estimated annual number of days of sickness absence (million)
Yorkshire
All staff 99 4.7% 1.1
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 34 5.2% 0.4
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 13 6.0% 0.2
Other staff 52 4.2% 0.5
South East
All staff 110 4.0% 1.0
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 36 4.3% 0.4
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 15 5.5% 0.2
Other staff 59 3.5% 0.5
South West
All staff 71 4.4% 0.7
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 24 5.0% 0.3
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 12 6.7% 0.2
Other staff 36 3.5% 0.3
Trent
All staff 77 5.5% 1.0
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 25 5.6% 0.3
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 12 8.7% 0.2
Other staff 40 4.8% 0.4
West Midlands
All staff 80 5.1% 0.9
Qualified nursing & midwifery staff 26 5.4% 0.3
Unqualified N&M staff and healthcare assistants 12 8.3% 0.2
Other staff 42 4.2% 0.4

Notes

Estimated days off from sickness absence are based on 230 working days per year per full-time employee.

Source:

Department of Health's September 1998 Sickness absence, accidents and violence survey.