UNISON is concerned that too many NHS staff regularly turn up for work on days when they feel unwell. This is known as ‘presenteeism’ and results from staff feeling under pressure to avoid taking sick leave for fear of being subjected to intrusive HR processes. Also, staff may feel they are letting down their colleagues by going off sick and leaving them to cope in their absence.
The HR tool sometimes used to manage sickness absence in the NHS is known as The Bradford Factor (BF). It applies a numerical ‘score’ to days lost through sickness absence and ‘trigger points’ that can result in staff being investigated and potentially disciplined. The BF tool is a blunt instrument which has shown itself to be unfair and discriminatory, especially in cases where staff have a long-term condition or a disability. You can learn more about the Bradford Factor on our resource page – see below.
UNISON believes there are better, more productive ways to manage sickness absence, with a focus on supporting staff to stay well, healthy, and happy at work. We welcome the NHS Health and Wellbeing Framework guidance for NHS employers, designed to help staff to stay well at work and support them appropriately when they are off sick. For UNISON reps, this framework also gives them a chance to have input into the health and wellbeing plans of the Trust. This is more of a strategic role, rather than the issues covered by Section 14 and Annex 26 of the NHS terms and conditions handbook.
We also welcome the work of the Northern Care Alliance which is committed to growing a visible compassionate culture through its wellbeing and attendance management policy – a copy of the policy and management toolkit is available on our resources platform.
Your right to review and improve sickness procedures: The NHS terms and conditions handbook places an expectation on employers to work in partnership with Trade Union representatives, to regularly monitor and review sickness absence arrangements to identify where and how policies can be improved (Section 14 and Annex 26 of the handbook.) This offers an opportunity to shape and influence your local sickness policies.
Take action: UNISON branches are encouraged to work through their local partnership structures to raise issues of concern with their employer and discuss ways to improve their local sickness management policies. Make use of the resources listed below and involve your UNISON full-time officer if you need additional support. If you have a success story to share, email us.
Resources
The following resources are available to UNISON activists on the UNISON Organising Space* and staff can access them via Pearl:
- NHS Health and wellbeing framework
- NHS Terms & Conditions handbook – section 14 and Annex 26
- Negotiating sickness absence agreements – a UNISON guide
- Reasonable adjustments – a UNISON bargaining guide
- Disability leave – a UNISON bargaining guide
- Sickness absence and the Bradford Factor – UNISON factsheet
- Good practice case study, Northern Care Alliance pilot project
(*To log into the Organising Space you will need your membership number and password. To log into Pearl you will need your UNISON staff email and login details.)