Sickness Absence in the NI Public Sector

Mr Donnelly said ‘Sickness absence in the Northern Ireland public sector results in a significant cost. I welcome the improvements that are being made. However, targets have not always been met and there is scope for further improvements. If absence levels could be reduced to match those in Great Britain, savings of £37 million are possible.’  

Main Findings

The cost of sickness absence across the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the health and education sectors was estimated at £149 million in 2010-11 - £30 million for the Civil Service, £73 million for health trusts and £46 million for the education sector.  There is scope for significant efficiency savings.

Trends in absence

Sickness absence has been falling in recent years in each of the three sectors.

In the Civil Service, the overall sickness absence level was 13.4 days per staff year in 2005-06.  By 2010-11, this had fallen to 10.7 days or 4.9% of working days available with a further reduction in 2011-12 to 10.1 days (4.6%)

In the health and social care sector, the Northern Ireland regional average for sickness absence in trusts was 5.5% of working days available in 2010-11.  A regional average was not available for earlier years but, based on sickness absence rates for individual trusts, it is likely that the overall trend in the level of sickness absence is downward. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has suggested that the risk of spread of infection to patients, the physical nature of the work undertaken by staff and demands of shift working are factors in explaining the levels of sickness absence among health and social care staff.

In the education sector, teachers’ sickness absence has fallen from 9.25 days per teacher in 2006-07 to 7.27 days in 2010-11. Absences reduced further in 2011-12 to 7.22 days.  Information was not available on overall absences in Northern Ireland for non-teaching staff, but there have been significant increases in two of the six education authorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Long-term sickness accounts for the majority of sickness absence in all sectors – around 70% of days lost due to sickness absence in the Civil Service, 66% in health and social care trusts and 60% of teachers’ sickness absence.

Mental health issues are recognised as the main cause of long term sickness absence in each of the sectors and have a significant impact on overall sickness absence levels.  Musculo-skeletal problems are also a significant cause of absence within trusts.

Achieving targets

Absence reduction targets have been set in each sector. In the Civil Service, targets reflect both overall and specific aspects, such as long-term absence.  However, within trusts, targets are limited to the overall level.  In education, targets have been set only for teachers; no sickness absence targets are set for non-teaching staff or for the sector as a whole.

The Civil Service did not achieve its 5-year target to reduce overall absence to 9.5 days per staff year by 2009-10; actual sickness absence was 11.0 days.  Targets for long-term sickness absence were also missed with the frequency rate (average number of long-term spells per employee) 10.9% against a target of 9.8% and the average duration 62.8 days against a target of 42.2 days.

Only three health and social care trusts achieved the target of 5.2% of working days lost for 2010-11.

Teachers’ sickness absence rates of 7.27 in 2010-11 and 7.22 days per teacher in 2011-12 did not achieve the target set (6 days).

Management information

The Civil Service reports on a comprehensive range of sickness absence data. There are limitations in the information systems for management and reporting of sickness absence in the education and health sectors. There is a particular need to improve the quality of information on sickness absence with regard to non-teaching staff in the education sector. A new human resource system is being introduced across health and social care trusts and this is expected to improve the management of sickness absence through better and more timely information for managers. The establishment of the Education and Skills Authority during 2013 provides the opportunity to improve information systems in the education sector.