NHS Staff Have High Sickness Rates

A recent report claims that the NHS has a 50% higher absence rate than those of private health institutions. It is important to note that staff, in particular medical staff, are often working very long hours and are under vast amounts of stress due to understaffing. Their work conditions tend to be much poorer than those in the private medical insurance sector.

The report, from Reform, an independent think-tank, says that the NHS has an absence rate of 4.5% which is equivalent to 12 days off a year. It is claimed that implementing a better health policy, which encourages staff to take exercise and eat more healthily could save the NHS £1bn a year.

The report stated that: 'The whole idea of public health should change to personal health, with the aim of making individuals responsible for their own health.'

Reform’s director, Andrew Haldenby, added: 'Government is a dinosaur in the evolving world of better health. In the recession... the out-of-date practices of most NHS organisations impose costs that the nation can ill afford.'

A spokesperson for the NHS said, 'The Department of Health takes the health of NHS staff seriously. In January we announced a review to examine the health of NHS staff and gather evidence to start delivering improvements across the board.

'We are also acting to tackle sickness absence wherever it happens. We are introducing fit notes, creating a new national centre for working age health and wellbeing and starting 'fit for work' pilots to help people get back to work as soon as possible.'

A recent staff survey found that nearly half of NHS employees reported that they were overstretched and unable to do their work properly. One of the co-authors of the report, Helen Rainbow, said: 'Stress is a big factor in NHS sickness. There is a lot more it could be doing to help its staff and this in turn will improve its productivity.

'The problem is the culture in the NHS is quite reactive, it is shooting itself in the foot when you think of the kind of people it employs.'

Nurses are the NHS biggest group of employees. The ratio of nurses to patients in the private health sector is 1:3 compared to 1:8 in the NHS. Their pay is better and so are their working conditions. This all contributes to a better quality of life that encourages better health and certainly less stress-related conditions. Ultimately happier, healthier nurses are better for the patient and, from a pragmatic perspective, less absenteeism means less nursing costs which in turn keeps health insurance premiums to a minimum. All this can only be good for the consumer.