NHS worker Absenteeism causing a rise in Agency staff?

Stress related illness and work strain is one of the biggest reasons why there is nursing  shortages in the NHS. Skeleton workforces and a lack of encouragement for workers being proactive in their work life balance. NHS Nurses can  leave and become agency staff for 3 times as much pay as a they were previously paid, and this is seeing many nurse cross over to agency staff.

Health happy workforce

Encouraging nurses to be proactive in their health providing health food in the workplace in stead of confectionery food  and an encouragement to stay as a productive healthy team member.

Bike racks and shower facilities for workers wanting to cycle to work and less drug based support, were all recommended in the Borman report in 2009 which highlighted problem areas in the workforce behaviour and how to tackle absenteeism.

The trade union said the figure had risen from £327m in 2012-13 to £485m last year in 168 trusts in England.

The Department of Health said agency workers had been used to correct "historic understaffing" - but it wanted to reduce reliance on these staff in the longer term.
Over-reliance on agency staff is bad for patients.”

Dr Peter Carter Royal College of Nursing The RCN received responses from 73% of acute, community, mental health and specialist NHS trusts in England to a request about spending on agency nurses, under the Freedom of Information Act.
sourced from bbc news.

Related articles

Work place injury?
Wellness at work & job strain