§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average number of days taken in sickness absence by(a) doctors and (b) nurses was in each year since 1996; [178474]
(2) how many days were taken in sickness absence by (a) doctors and (b) nurses in each year since 1996. [178475]
§ Mr. HuttonFigures for sickness absence in the national health service in England were not collected by the Department between 1997 and 1999. We do not collect or produce information for number of days or the average number of days lost per NHS employee but publish the figures as a percentage lost of the time they should have been available for work. General practitioners and their staff are not included in these figures. The Department does not collect separate information for doctors or nurses.
The national NHS sickness absence level for 2003 is 4.7 per cent. This is slightly higher than the figure for 2002 of 4.6 per cent., but is lower than the figure for 2001 of 4.8 per cent. The overall NHS sickness absence rates have changed little over the last five years. The continued importance given to the management of sickness absence by NHS employers should show further improvements in the absence levels. The table shows the figures published for sickness absence in the NHS in England and its regions and covers the period from 2002 to 2003.
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Percentages 2002 2003 England 4.6 4.7 Regions North East 5.0 5.1 North West 5.0 5.2 Yorkshire and Humber 4.4 4.5
Percentages 2002 2003 East Midlands 4.8 5.1 West Midlands 4.9 5.1 East of England 4.5 4.6 London 4.4 4.3 South East 4.1 4.2 South West 4.8 4.7 Special health authorities and other statutory bodies 5.4 4.2