Meeting documents

            Meeting: Communities Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 1A - 07/06/2004 10:00:00 AM)

                  Item: A3 Sickness Absence Report

         

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Scrutiny Sub-Committee to Promote Strong Healthy and Safe Communities 7 June 2004 Report of the Sickness Absence Scrutiny Working Group

Report of Head of Overview and Scrutiny

Purpose of Report

1. To introduce the report of the Sickness Absence Scrutiny Working Group which has been investigating sickness absence in the Social Care and Health Service.

Background

2. The Working Group, which has been considering the issues, has now produced a report for consideration by the Sub-Committee. A copy of
the report is attached.

3. The Sub-Committee is asked to consider the report and, in particular, the findings of the Working Group.

4. Whilst initially considering issues specific to the Social Care and Health Service, the Working Group did so against the context of the Council’s corporate policies, both existing and emerging, taking evidence from the County Council’s Senior Occupational Health Physician, Head of Health and Safety and Personnel Officers.

5. All of the recommendations in the report apply to the Social Care and Health Service, but as evidence was gathered, it became clear to members of the Working Group that there were some recommendations which might merit consideration corporately across the whole range of Council services. For this reason the recommendations are divided into those specific to Social Care and Health, and those which may be considered corporately. As members may be aware, work has being ongoing to develop sickness absence policies corporately and it is hoped that the recommendations in the scrutiny report will complement and reinforce this piece of work. The Acting Head of Personnel has made a number of comments about the report and, following discussions with Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, some of these have been incorporated into the final report.


Recommendation

6. You are asked to consider and approve the report of the Sickness Absence Scrutiny Working Group for submission to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. TO VIEW THE SICKNESS ABSENCE SCRUTINY WORKING GROUP REPORT PLEASE REFER TO HARD COPIES LOCATED IN CORPORATE SERVICES AND THE COUNTY RECORD OFFICE


Attachments

 sickness absence cover report 7 june 2004.doc;
 Sickness absence working group report version 5 (final).doc