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In 2009, sickness absence levels in the UK declined to the lowest level since 1987, according to the CBI. The Absence and Workplace Health Survey, conducted with Pfizer, showed a strong reduction in public sector absence levels though still some gap between public and private sector organisations.

Many commentators have speculated on the link to increasing job insecurity and resulting  pressure not to take time off sick. Looking at absence trends at a time which coincides with high levels of insecurity among public sector workers it is very easy to conclude there is a link.

There is, however, quite a time lag between the period reflected in the report’s absence figures and when its publication and reporting as “news”. Job insecurity is a key concern in 2010, but was somewhat less prominent in the public sector a year ago … the time these figures relate to.

It is also important to remember absence management and staff wellness initiatives have been a key issue of focus for public sector managers. Attractor works with the NHS and, following Agenda for Change, there has been a degree of stability (now coming to an end) which enabled organisation to develop new proactive approaches to absence management – the successes were recognised in the Boorman Report which made recommendations for improving attendance.

But what lies ahead? Read the rest of this entry →

The Sector Skills Council for UK Healthcare – Skills for Health has recently published the results of pilot work it was undertaking over a year with seven NHS Trusts on a ‘skills passport’.

The system, built by Skillsprofile based on work it has done withing other industries, allows workers to create an online record of their skills, qualifications and experience, verified by qualified line managers, enabling prospective or existing employers to save duplicating training where it is not needed – especially stautory mandatory training if staff move between employers.

Skills for Health endorsed the work delivered by the organisations, stressing the potential to reduce administrative costs associated with taking on new staff and a range of other benefits for employers and employees.

David Foster, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England has spoken favourably about the pilot, suggesting it had ” …confirmed the case for a skills passport, … also highlighted a range of potential additional benefits for employers, health workers throughout the UK, universities and, most importantly, those who use health services. But is this initiative too late? Read the rest of this entry →

Photo: HowardLake, Flickr

The NHS White Paper allows individual employers the freedom to determine pay for their own staff. While this is a relatively small provision in the paper, it has potentially serious implications.

Quickly spotting this and commenting in the Public Finance blog, Duncan Brown has expressed serious reservations about the potential for a major deconstruction of the national pay framework Agenda for Change.