30 January 2009
By Paul Dicken
The NHS in Wales saved over £24m between 2004 and 2008 by reducing sickness rates, the Welsh spending watchdog has said.
In a report published on January 28, the Wales Audit Office looked at the progress being made in reducing NHS staff sickness absence since a report in 2004.
Despite a reduction in the annual rate of absence and savings of £6m a year, the WAO said that sickness levels remained a 'significant problem'.
The report, The management of sickness absence by NHS trusts in Wales, added that most trusts felt the annual Welsh Assembly Government target of a 4.2% sickness absence rate was an unrealistic goal, with a current average across the Welsh NHS of between 5.3% and 5.4%, equivalent to just under 14 working days a year.
The WAO recommended that the generic target be replaced by targets agreed with trusts based on local circumstances.
The report said there were 'inherent sickness absence' risks related to reorganisation and a medium-term target of less than 5% would represent further progress.
PFjan2009
