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Civil service sickness 'too high' | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
There area unacceptably high levels of sickness leave within the civil service, a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report has revealed. | |
In May, an Audit Office report found that Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) staff took four more days off, on average, than the rest of the UK. | |
The PAC report says that sickness absence levels in the NICS are more than twice that of the private sector. | The PAC report says that sickness absence levels in the NICS are more than twice that of the private sector. |
It lays the blame at the door of the Department of Finance and Personnel. | It lays the blame at the door of the Department of Finance and Personnel. |
Paul Maskey, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said the issue should have been dealt with long ago. | Paul Maskey, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said the issue should have been dealt with long ago. |
"Although there has been some reduction in sickness absence levels in the last four years, they remain unacceptably high," he said. | "Although there has been some reduction in sickness absence levels in the last four years, they remain unacceptably high," he said. |
"What the committee wants to see is meaningful action and change, rather than words and documents." | "What the committee wants to see is meaningful action and change, rather than words and documents." |
The committee found that although civil servants in Northern Ireland do not take sickness absence any more frequently that in Great Britain, the duration is almost twice as long. | The committee found that although civil servants in Northern Ireland do not take sickness absence any more frequently that in Great Britain, the duration is almost twice as long. |
"Early referral to an occupational health professional is clearly the key to addressing this issue and more should have been done in this regard," said Mr Maskey. | "Early referral to an occupational health professional is clearly the key to addressing this issue and more should have been done in this regard," said Mr Maskey. |
"This report is a damning indictment of NICS management. | "This report is a damning indictment of NICS management. |
"Problems have been allowed to become entrenched, and it is evident that poor management techniques and a lack of effective responses from the Department of Finance and Personnel are to blame. | "Problems have been allowed to become entrenched, and it is evident that poor management techniques and a lack of effective responses from the Department of Finance and Personnel are to blame. |
"Given the serious nature of these concerns, the committee will want to re-visit this area on a regular basis and give it the constant vigilance it deserves." | "Given the serious nature of these concerns, the committee will want to re-visit this area on a regular basis and give it the constant vigilance it deserves." |
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