The problem and management of sickness absence in the NHS: considerations for nurse managers.
OBJECTIVE
This paper examines the topic of sickness absence management in the context of the healthcare sector.


BACKGROUND
National Health Service (NHS) employee absenteeism is an expensive and difficult problem. Nurse managers need to assess the extent and characteristics of absenteeism, be aware of their organization's sickness policies, evaluate the effectiveness of these policies and contribute to the development of related initiatives to ensure prudent management of sickness absence.


METHODS
A literature review has been undertaken, providing a broad conceptual context by which the problem of sickness absence in the NHS can be examined. The focus of this paper is to examine the accumulation of research based knowledge to provide a healthcare perspective on the problem of sickness absence management.


CONCLUSIONS
Sickness absence management within the NHS is challenging but provides opportunities to improve the working lives of NHS employees. Sickness absence cannot be eradicated but it can be reduced by a selection of measures that reflect the uniqueness of the NHS. The many and diverse causes of sickness absence need acknowledgement, when devising strategies that can effectively provide solutions to the problems of sickness absence.
Johnson
C J
CJ
Research Nurse, Institute of Occupational Health, Research Fellow, Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK. c.j.Johnson@bham.ac.uk
Croghan
Emma
E
Crawford
Joanne
J
D000041:Absenteeism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control; D015984:Causality; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010559:Personnel Management / Q000379:methods*; D018582:Sick Leave; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance