§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days in the NHS were(a) lost and (b) lost in each of the past 10 years due to sickness of less than three days' duration in each of the last 10 years. [80952]
§ Mr. HuttonNational data on sickness absence levels in the national health service has only been collected since 1999. Information on working days lost in the NHS due to sickness of less than three days duration is not held centrally, but may be available from individual NHS employers.
The national sickness absence rate in 1999 was 4.96 per cent. which is equivalent to approximately 9.97 million working days. The sickness absence rate in 2000 was 4.68 per cent., which is equivalent to approximately 9.78 million working days. Sickness absence figures for 2001 are currently being analysed by the Department