Health Workers Off Sick Most

Health workers are absent with sickness the most according to costofabsence.com, a website created by BUPA UK Health Insurance, health and central government employees particularly health workers are the most absent workers.  

In 2007 health workers took an average of 13 days off sick and those working in central government took an average of 11 days of sick.

The industries that pay the biggest price for absences are paper, printing and construction.  A paper and printing business with 100 staff faced an annual bill of £125,000 due to health worker sickness absences in 2007, up 172 per cent from £72,500 in 2006.

Our view

Many government sponsored operations have similar problems that are not encountered in the private sector.  Why? Because they are too soft and unions are too strong.  If this country had a policy for health workers or any other of no pay for short term sickness, e.g.  two months, and rewards for attendance e.g.  a 5% bonus, there would be no issue.

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