Founded on a growing evidence base that various health programmes help improve overall health, NHS has seen a decline of hours lost due to staff sickness.

Addressing various key issues such as stress, the board has attributed to decline of lost hours to the launch of a Positive Steps guide earlier this year. The Scottish Government gave more than £300,000 to NHS boards to aid in reducing the rates of sickness absence.

It is reported in Dumfries and Galloway Standard newspaper, the drop in absences has saved the health board from overstretching medical staff and services, whilst saving millions of hours in healthcare.  

Scotland’s 150,000 NHS staff was reported to have taken over 13 million hours off sick in 2008, representing 12 days per worker.

The articles state in 2008, the board lost 363, 971 hours due to ill health of medical staff and it fell to 325, 337 this year.

It was stated that the figure however still remains higher than two years ago when the health board only lost 332,110 hours. Despite the drop, the health boards are still failing to meet the government targets.

According to the Labour health spokesperson Cathy Jamieson the decline in number is a positive sign however she is deeply concern that there are over 3000 NHS staff in Scotland were in long-term sick leave.

She said the Scottish Government should look into the matter to investigate why the figure is still very high.

 
The source: Dumfries and Galloway Standards newspaperAdminEsteem Fitness – Corporate Fitness, Nutrition and Well-being Consultancy

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