Sickness absence guide for staff

Sickness absence guide for staff

There is a clear link between healthy and happy staff and improved patient outcomes. We are looking to be a world class organisation. Therefore we need to be at the forefront in improving employee wellbeing. Good management of sickness absence and personal responsibility are central to our success in this area. This is one of a number of guides in this area that are designed to improve Trust performance and individual health and wellbeing. This document concentrates on what staff can do to improve sickness absence management. Making Contact - Employees Responsibility I do not feel well enough to attend work Have you contacted your Doctor/Dentist/Specialist you may be under the care of for an urgent appointment? Don t forget that the Staff therapy Service offers staff with back or musculoskeletal or back injury rapid access to Physiotherapy and occupational therapy. What do I do when I am poorly and cannot report for work? All staff should know which manager or supervisor to call if they are not able to attend. Staff must contact the designated manager in person, and if he/she is not available, then contact the second most senior person in your department (please bleep your manager where appropriate). You will be required to submit a Fitness to Work note to your line manager on the 8th day of absence should your illness continue beyond a week. Can I ask my partner/parent/relative/friend or colleague to phone on my behalf? Only in exceptional circumstances, i.e. an emergency hospital admission or where you are physically unable to contact your manager. What could happen if I don t make contact when off-sick? If you fail to make contact with your line manager, the payment of occupational sick pay (OSP) could be stopped by the Trust. This may also be marked as a period of unauthorised absence What happens if it is physically impossible for me to contact my line manager, will my OSP still be withheld? If you can provide an acceptable, reasonable explanation why it was impossible for you to make contact, the Trust will reimburse your OSP. Will my manager make contact with me while I am on off sick? Your line manager should contact you regularly when off sick. It is suggested that your line manager makes contact at least every 5 days if on long term sick. Is this not harassment? No, your line manager has a duty to ensure that you are recovering well and may be able to signpost you to the range of support that is available to you. It is in both your and the Trust s interest that you recover fully and return to work as quickly as is suitable.

Referral to Occupational Health and Sickness Meetings When will my manager refer me to Occupational Health? If you are on long-term sick your line manager will refer you to Occupational Health during week 3 of your absence in order to be seen during week 4. What will happen next? Your line manager, supported by the Business Human Resources staff, will schedule a sickness review meeting during the fourth week of your absence. What is the benefit of a sickness review meeting? This allows for your line manager and HR to meet with you to be in a position to plan around the operational needs of your department, to see how you are doing and to agree on suitable time frames for your return. Do I have to meet with them? As the aim of sickness review meetings is to understand how you are doing, as a valued member of staff, there should be no reason why you do not want to meet with your line manager and an HR representative. Is Occupational Health s opinion absolutely binding on my line manager? No. Occupational Health have an advisory role to managers and employees. The advice given in reports is impartial, and managers have to consider the feasibility of advice given by Occupational Health in terms of the impact any change may have on service need and patient care. There needs to be a valid business reason for implementing the advice provided. Can I be accompanied at a sickness review meeting by a work colleague or my staff side representative? There is no legal right to be accompanied at any informal sickness review meeting that may occur between a line manager and an employee. Should you be asked to attend a formal review meeting with a human resources representative present then your right to representation by a work colleague or a staff side representative will be offered. It is not unreasonable for you to request to be accompanied at an informal meeting. However, your manager has the right to refuse this request given the informal nature of the meeting. Returning to Work What happens when I return to work? On returning to work, your line manager will hold a return to work meeting with you, and will ask you to sign the return to work interview record. You are also required to complete a Self Certification form which your manager will give you. Why is this necessary? It is important to confirm that you are fit to return, to verify if you have breached any of the Trust sickness absence triggers and to help you integrate into your function as effectively as is possible.

What are sickness absence triggers? The Trust s sickness and absence policy defines triggers to monitor sickness absence and to prevent abuse. The current triggers are defined as 3 or more incidents in a rolling 6 months period and/or 10 or more days in a rolling 6 month period or one episode of three weeks or more. What happens if I reach a trigger? Depending on the circumstances relating to your sickness absence, your line manager may determine a three monthly review, or if sickness absence persists, may refer your case to a formal review meeting. Dealing with Sickness Absence Why is it so important to manage sickness absence? Sickness/Absence costs the organisation a considerable amount of money. In 2014 this amount was 8,771,254.72. If we fail to manage this issue we fail to function as an organisation. Money saved in the improved management of sickness absence can be put into improving patient care. What happens if I am referred to a formal sickness review meeting? Your line manager will present a brief overview of your sickness absence record, and will take a suitable view of your case, including any special or mitigating circumstances you may have to offer. Can my services be terminated for being sick? If sickness absence persists over a period of time, and it seems unlikely that you will be able to return, or to stay within the parameters of the Trust policy on sickness management, then it is possible for the Trust, following a procedural fair inquiry, to terminate your services due to sickness absence and the capability you lack to perform your duties. Contractual obligations Managing health, work and wellbeing is the responsibility of both the employer and the employee. The Trust has a duty to ensure that the work environment is safe and conducive to good health and wellbeing and employees also have a duty to ensure that they keep their work environment and themselves safe and that they make every effort to keep themselves well. The Trust does not wish its employees to attend for work when they are not fit to do so however, the Trust expects all employees to account for their absences and to meet their contractual obligations to work. Staff absences have a direct effect on service delivery to the people of Liverpool and represent a significant cost to the organisations.

Support Available to Staff in This Trust. Over the past three years we have increased the range and depth available to staff to support and improve employment. The following initiatives are only examples of the support available. Much of the support available is outlined in the Health and Wellbeing and You document. This is available to all staff at induction and those attending mandatory training. You can also view the full range of staff the support on the Staff Hub web pages. All staff should be familiar with the Trust Staff Hub pages which can be accessed on the Trust intranet page. Staff Support Service We have a 24/7 access to a Staff Support Service. Staff who call 0151 330 8103 will be given confidential support. In many cases counselling can be offered. The vast majority of staff can access counselling in just a few days. Training We understand that it can often be difficult to take time to attend training. However, time spent training and understanding issues can reap benefits in the long term. We have developed a range of training opportunities and these include: Modular Training for Line Managers that includes specific absence management training. Managing Your Own Personal Stress Healthy Worker Understanding Mental Health Issues during the coming months we are looking to offer this short introduction to these issues. Staff Therapy Service Work is good for the health of the working population, yet sickness absence due to common health related conditions remains significantly high in the UK. This cost burden to individuals, employers and society can be avoided with rapid intervention. In this Trust we have a proactive staff specific service. This service takes referrals from staff, managers an occupational health. Through self-referral, Trust staff can contact Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy services directly, rather than going through their GPs. Staff can complete a short self-assessment questionnaire which can be found in this section. Forms are reviewed by a physiotherapist and, depending on their clinical need, and if appropriate, an appropriate appointment (which may include a waiting time) is allocated accordingly at either the Royal or Broadgreen site. These services can be accessed through staff.therapy@rlbuht.nhs.uk Weight Management Over 500,000 NHS staff are clinically obese. This has a detrimental effect on our ability to provide a first class service. Trust Dieticians provide a Weight Loss Challenge on both sites. Staff have weekly opportunity to be weighed and get dietary advice.

Physical Activity We offer a comprehensive range of physical activity programmes in our workplace including: Pilates Dancercise Tai Chi Yoga Insanity Workout. Alcohol Issues We recognise that there is a relationship between many sickness absence issues and our relationship with alcohol. In this Trust we run regular Love Your Liver clinics. We also have access to the Liverpool Community Alcohol Service team on 0151 795 5395. Managers, colleagues and staff can ring this number to get advice and support. Smoking These issues are covered in our Be Clear on Smoking document. Staff have access to smoking cessation from Roy Castle Fag Ends. Staff can contact Ext 2332 to get help to quit or advice for patients and visitors. Communication It is important for all managers to be fully aware of the wide range of support available for them and their staff. The best way to do this is to have access to the information available. This includes: Your Monthly Health and Wellbeing Update Weekly In touch Monthly Team Brief Regular emails. Associated Policies We recognise that sickness absence is an issue that covers a number of areas and requires all staff to be aware of a range of action they need to take. There are a number of important policies that you need to be aware of and can be helpful including: Managing Sickness Absence policy Managing Stress of Work policy Disciplinary policy Alcohol and Substance Misuse policy Whistleblowing policy

Useful contacts: Staff Support Service 0151 330 8103 Occupational Health Service 0151 529 3803 Liverpool Community Alcohol Specialist Nurses 0151 795 5395 Managers Name. Managers Contact number... Mark Caffrey Health and Wellbeing Manager September 2015