FOI 25-033 Nursing Staff Sickness

Freedom of Information Request

Reference
FOI 25-033 Nursing Staff Sickness
Request Date
17 Jan 2025
Response Date
14 Feb 2025
Information Requested

This relates specifically to NHS nursing staff sickness absence.  

  1. Please provide the following information in relation to nursing* staff sickness absence within the NHS Board for each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 year to date at 31 December 2024:  The number by sickness absence reasons for: a) sickness absence episodes b) working days lost c) number of staff absent  
  2. Please provide the following information in relation to Agenda for Change bands 5-9 nursing* staff sickness absence within the NHS Board for each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 year to date at 31 December 2024:  The number by sickness absence reasons for: a) sickness absence episodes b) working days lost c) number of staff absent  
  3. Please provide the following information in relation to Agenda for Change bands 2-4 nursing* staff sickness absence within the NHS Board for each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 year to date at 31 December 2024: The number by sickness absence reasons for: a) sickness absence episodes b) working days lost c) number of staff absent  
  4. Please provide the sickness absence rate for nursing staff in the NHS Board at 31 March for each of the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 year to date at 31 December 2024 for a) all nursing staff b) Agenda for Change bands 5-9 and c) Agenda for Change bands 2-4.  
  5. Please provide the number (headcount) of nursing staff in the NHS Board currently absent from work due to Long Covid in a) total b) Agenda for Change bands 5-9 and c) Agenda for Change bands 2-4.  

*Note: In providing this information for nursing, please exclude from the nursing and midwifery job family, the sub job families for midwifery, e.g. midwifery and neonatal midwifery 

Response

The wellbeing of our hardworking staff is a key priority for the Service, and we have put additional measures in place and increased support over the last year in line with our Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We have also been working in partnership with key hospital sites to reduce delays in patient handover.  

We are thankful to all our staff, who have been doing an incredible job in very difficult circumstances. In addition, over the last 3 years, we’ve recruited a record 1,388 staff, introduced 52 additional ambulances, aligned shift patterns to meet patient demand and expanded into 10 new locations as part of our Demand and Capacity Programme.  

Please see the attached sheet showing the number of nursing staff recorded as absent between 1 April 2023 and 31 December 2024, broken down into financial year. For 2023/24 and 2024/25 this is shown a partial financial year.  

We are not able to break the information down by Agenda for Change band as this variable is not included in our data for reporting sickness absence. 

At 31st December 2024 there were no nurses absent with a Covid related reason. 

Response Documents

FOI 25 033 (XLSX | 11KB)