Sick leave costs health trust £9 million

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust's current sickness absence level of 4.91 per cent is nearly 0.5 per cent higher than the national average and new plans have been set out to tackle the problem.

The sick days are costing the trust millions and if there are no improvements forthcoming, new 'punitive measures both for managers and employees' could be introduced, according to a report due to go before the trust board.

Chiefs want to reduce sickness absence to 3.5 per cent by March 2016.

The report states: "The trust's sickness absence rates remain a serious concern and remains flagged as red on the Trust Risk Register.

"The 12 month rolling sickness absence level as at August 2015 is at 4.91 per cent - a tiny improvement from July which was 4.92 per cent (0.01 per cent).

"This small decrease still represents a saving of £200,000 on the annual cost of absence.

"This absence rate remains above the NHS national average of 4.44 per cent."

While some departments - including community and therapies and imaging - have managed to reduce the number of sick days, other areas continue to struggled.

Improvement is needed across the board, the report says. It adds: "Actions must be taken within groups to effectively manage absence and drive down sickness rates if we are to effective tackle our staffing position.

"There is no substitute for groups taking this seriously at a local level, and creating a culture of positive attendance, where sickness is the exception rather than the norm.

"If there are no improvements during September and October the Trust Board will consider further punitive measures both for managers and employees – including consideration of a change to terms and conditions on sickness payments."