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NHS Staff
Nicola Sturgeon: The potential savings which could be made if sickness absence were reduced in all NHS Boards to (a) the average, and (b) the lowest quartile of all Boards, are detailed in the following table (based on absence rates within NHSScotland for the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010).
| Potential Savings if Sickness Absence was NHS Scotland Sickness Absence Rate3, 4 | Potential Savings if Sickness Absence was Lower Quartile Rate 5 | |
| Total | £6,410,477 | £22,684,618 |
The following table shows the NHSScotland Workforce reduction in sickness absence rates and the financial savings generated for the years 2005-06 to 2009-10.
| Years | 2005-06 to 2006-07 | 2006-07 to 2007-08 | 2007-08 to 2008-09 | 2008-09 to 2009-10 |
| % Change in NHSScotland Sickness Absence Rate6 | 0.32% | -0.26% | -0.34% | -0.20% |
| Savings generated7 | £13,814,182 | £12,102,882 | £16,595,490 | £10,050,433 |
Source: Scottish Workforce Information Standard System.
Notes:
Potential savings do not include extra costs or losses in efficiency incurred by boards to cover absences (e.g. Bank, Agency and Locum costs).
Potential Savings are calculated as follows:
(Actual Sickness Absence Rate * Total Paybill Cost) - (Comparative Sickness Absence Rate * Total Paybill Cost).
Total Paybill Cost includes total pay plus employer contributions which, for NHSScotland for 2009-2010 (for permanent, fixed term and fixed/temporary contract types) was £5,125,491,302.
The NHSScotland Sickness Absence Rate is the total working hours lost divided by the total contracted hours.
The NHSScotland Sickness Absence Rate of 4.75% has been used to calculate potential savings in this scenario.
The Lower Quartile Sickness Absence Rate (4.33%) is the median of the lower half of NHS board’s sickness absence rates.
This is calculated as the difference between one financial year’s sickness absence rate and the previous financial year’s sickness absence rate. This is shown as a positive for an increase in the sickness absence rate and a negative for a decrease in the sickness absence rate.
Savings generated is calculated as: Total Paybill Cost * Percentage Change in sickness absence rate. A loss is shown in brackets.
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in resolving Agenda for Change cases involving pharmacists in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Nicola Sturgeon: It is for NHS boards to implement Agenda for Change in partnership between management and staff side locally. However, the Scottish Government monitors progress closely and has put the blocked matching process in place to ensure that any disputes which cannot be resolved locally can be addressed through an independent national partnership process. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have accessed this process for a number of reviews, including for some pharmacy posts. I understand good progress is being made in resolving these and that it is hoped letters confirming the outcome of outstanding reviews will be issued by the end of March 2011.
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unresolved Agenda for Change cases involving pharmacists there are in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Nicola Sturgeon: I understand from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that there are a total of 44 review submissions relating to pharmacy posts for which there has not yet been a final outcome.
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a deadline for resolving Agenda for Change cases involving pharmacists in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not set a deadline for resolving outstanding reviews in Greater Glasgow and Clyde as it is important that the staff/management partnership processes put in place to resolve local disputes are allowed to run their course. However, we continue to work closely with the board to monitor progress and I understand it is hoped that letters confirming the outcome of outstanding reviews will be issued by the end of March 2011.
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to resolve Agenda for Change cases involving pharmacists in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
Nicola Sturgeon: It is for NHS boards to implement Agenda for Change in partnership between management and staff side locally. However, the Scottish Government monitors progress closely and has put the Blocked Matching process in place to ensure that any disputes which cannot be resolved locally can be addressed through an independent national partnership process. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have accessed this process for a number of reviews, including for some pharmacy posts. I understand good progress is being made in resolving these and that it is hoped letters confirming the outcome of outstanding reviews will be issued by the end of March 2011.