Member Article

Sicknote Britain: GPs blame bosses

A third of doctors have noticed ‘a dramatic increase’ in the number of workers taking sick leave of seven days or more. The research, conducted by Norwich Union Healthcare, found that 94% of doctors blame employers for failing to take responsibility for their employees’ health and wellbeing. Ill health and absenteeism currently cost UK businesses £13bn. HR directors report that the major health problems affecting workers are stress (76%), back problems (63%) and depression (57%) – all issues that can be caused or exacerbated by the working environment. The effects of absences can be especially damaging when key staff are off sick. 42% of companies have said they have struggled with key members of staff being off for long periods of time, causing widespread disruption, 45% believe it caused morale problems and resentment, and 31% say key accounts or clients were put in jeopardy. Tim Baker, director at Norwich Union Healthcare, commented: “These figures show that the system is failing workers. “Businesses and GPs must not blame one another and each bear responsibility for tackling the problems of employee ill health. Grasping the issue and adopting a joined up approach between stakeholders means that also the widespread benefits of tackling the issues can be shared.” TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber disputed the findings with regard to the public sector: “This report peddles the tired old myth that public sector workers are more likely to take time off work sick. This is simply not the case. “Recent research from the Health and Safety Executive shows that one of the main reasons why surveys tend to show greater levels of public sector absence is because the private sector traditionally under-reports time taken off sick by its employees.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .