NHS staff had a sickness absence rate of 4.12% in 2011/12 – slightly lower than in the previous two years.
This equates to about 15.56 million days lost to sickness (which include non-working days if they fall within a reported absence period) according to new analysis published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). Qualified ambulance workers recorded the highest rate of any main staff group at 6.18% (405,000 days). Doctors (excluding GPs) recorded the lowest rate of any main staff group at 1.19% (427,000 days). The report found that the rates generally decreased with increasing pay grade.
