Long-term sickness absence in an NHS teaching hospital

This study was carried out to investigate the incidence and causes of long-term sickness absence in an NHS teaching hospital and to explore the role of the Occupational Health Service (OHS) in the management of long-term absence. Examination of attendance records of non-medical staff revealed an annual loss of 20,772 days due to spells of absence lasting 30 calendar days or more, (incidence 0.0528/WTE employees/year, prevalence 5.53 days long-term absence/WTE employee/year). A self-administered questionnaire was sent to 190 staff who had taken long-term absence during the previous 12 months. The response rate was 75%. Musculoskeletal problems and back pain in particular were the main reasons for absence, accounting for 30% of total days lost. Work-related illness made an important contribution with a third of those with musculoskeletal and a quarter of those with mental illness attributing the reason for their absence to work. Many staff reported non-medical factors such as delays in waiting for treatment and anxiety about return to work which prevented them from returning to work sooner. Only a minority of staff had attended OHS and referral was often delayed. OHS may have an important role to play in both prevention and management of long-term absence by early assessment and intervention such as expediting treatment or arranging rehabilitation programmes. However in order to be effective, a clear policy to encourage early and consistent referral is required.