Trust Board papers November 2012 - Barking Havering and ...

turnover increased by 0.34% to 11.57% -
despite the increase this remains 0.43% below
the current average of other large Acute Trusts.
• The reported sickness absence rate for the
month of September has decreased slightly by
0.13% on the August position, reducing from
4.68% to 4.55% across the month. The sickness
absence rate has decreased by 0.25% when
compared to the same period last year.
• The pan London benchmarking exercise against
other acute Large London Trusts has been
repeated which shows that the combined
average sickness absence rate for this group is
3.59% - as such the graph has been revised to
reflect this. Based upon this revised information
BHRUT's benchmarked position shows us as
currently sitting 0.94% above the 3.59% average
of all other large acute London Trusts. The
Trust's target remains at 3.6%
• Part of the increase in reported sickness
absence rates is related to improve recording
through the roll out of electronic systems such as
e-rostering. This has minimised the effort in
recording and reporting of all types of staff
absence, including sickness through
managers/supervisors especially in the clinical
areas no longer having to complete and submit
weekly absence returns.
• It is acknowledged that key to achieving a
significant reduction in rates is: reviewing &
updating our existing sickness absence policy,
sickness absence management training and
working with proactively managers to understand
the support they require to manage sickness
absence.
• These actions have been initiated and additional
schemes such as staff MOT days continue in
order to encourage staff to proactively manage
their own health & wellbeing at work.
• Occupational Health have implemented monthly
case meetings with Directorates to discuss the
management and progress of individual cases
• The estimated costs associated with sickness
absence have increased this month. It is
estimated that the cost to the Trust for
September was £878,995. This figure has risen
by an estimated £259,997 on the same period
last year despite the sickness rate reducing by
0.25%. The rise in the estimated costs of
sickness absence is attributed to the banding
and roles of those staff taking sick absence
compared to the same period last year, the
higher the band or more senior the role the
higher the associated cost.
• When the number of FTE's lost due to sickness
absence is analysed by reason for absence, the
highest loss remains 'Unknown causes - not
specified' with 39.40 fte lost.
• To counteract this as previously presented to the
Trust Board, the Trust as part of their contract
review and renewal process with McKesson
have requested that this reason be removed
from the reporting options. Therefore 'unknown
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