Ministerial Task Force on Health,
Safety and Productivity
Delivery Plan for the
Review of Sickness Absence in
the Public Sector
February 2005
MINISTERIAL TASK FORCE ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY
DELIVERY PLAN
Background
1 The joint Task Force and Cabinet Office report on Managing Sickness
Absence in the Public Sector set out a series of actions and recommendations to
help managers and staff throughout the public sector improve attendance
management with a view to reducing both short and long term sickness absence.
The Task Force called for the early production of a delivery plan to ensure that its
recommendations are implemented.
2 The Task Force drew attention to the need to learn from earlier efforts to
tackle sickness absence such as the 1998 鈥榃orking Well Together鈥? study that made
a number of recommendations and received wide support. However, this study failed
to make a lasting difference because top management focus was allowed to
dissipate and because line managers were not given the tools they needed. This
delivery plan is designed to ensure that accountability for achieving targets is clear
and that risks are identified and managed.
Target
3 The Task Force is aiming to ensure that the public sector makes a full
contribution to the Health and Safety Commission鈥檚 target to reduce by 30% the
number of working days lost as a result of work related injury and ill health per
100,000 workers by 2010 (with 1999 as the baseline year). However, the Task Force
is concerned about the wider causes of sickness absence and this delivery plan is
designed to build on this target with a range of other measures to improve
attendance management.
4 So the overall target is to reduce sickness absence in the public sector by
30% by 2010. This is in line with the targets agreed after the 1998 study and would
represent, on average, around 7.0 of days of sickness absence per worker in the
public sector. For example, the current level of sickness absence in the civil service
is 10 days. An annual reduction of 6%, representing 0.5 days per person per year is
needed to achieve this target between 2005/6 and 2009/10.
Objective and purpose of target
5 Reducing sickness absence across the public sector will:
鈥? Ensure that resources are fully devoted to delivering essential services to the
public;
鈥? Ensure that the public sector leads by example in promoting the business
benefits of health and safety and attendance management and delivering
wider health and safety targets;
鈥? Contribute to the efficiency agenda. A number of departments have indicated
that they are seeking to reduce sickness absence as part of the Productive
Time element of efficiency plans, and in the civil service alone it is estimated
that the cost of sickness absence is 拢375 million each year.
Accountability and governance
6 Leadership for the delivery plan will rest with the Ministerial Task Force. As
the 鈥渙wner鈥? of the report it will want to be satisfied that its recommendations and
actions are implemented, and that the impact on sickness absence trends is
monitored and evaluated. This delivery plan sets out how government departments
and other significant sections of the public sector will report progress to the Task
Force.
Strategic management.
7 The Task Force can provide political leadership and play a key part in
ensuring that attendance management remains at the top of the management
agenda. However, improving the management of sickness absence is being driven
by a number of cross public sector work streams, with the following accountabilities:
鈥? Cabinet Office 鈥? the Modernising People Management and Corporate
Development Groups in respect of the promotion of best practice HR
management policies and implementation;
鈥? The Office of Public Service Reform in respect of stakeholder engagement
through the Public Service Forum;
鈥? The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in respect of the Productive
Time element of the efficiency agenda, including support to departments that
have identified sickness absence as contributing to their efficiency
programmes and realising the gains;
鈥? ODPM and DoH in respect of improving attendance management in local
government and health sectors respectively and reporting on progress.
鈥? HM Treasury鈥檚 interest in public sector efficiency and productivity and the
delivery of PSA targets;
鈥? the devolved administrations which have a leadership role in promoting
health, safety and productivity in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
8 The Task Force secretariat, with DWP and the Cabinet Office, will coordinate
and report on progress with implementing the Task Force鈥檚 recommendations.
HSC/E will continue to report to the Minister for Work on progress towards its own
PSA target on reducing sickness absence and HSE鈥檚 strategic interventions in the
public sector.
Consultation
9 This delivery plan has been drawn up in consultation with the relevant
stakeholders in DWP, Cabinet Office, OGC and the Treasury.
10 External stakeholders contributed to the development of the Task Force
report. They will continue to be engaged and consulted through the Public Service
Forum and through regular contacts between the Cabinet Office, secretariat and the
Council of Civil Service Unions.
Strategy
11 The strategy for reducing sickness absence was set out in the joint Task
Force/Cabinet Office report. The Task Force reviewed the evidence from a number
of surveys and research reports. It concluded that improvements in performance
depended on a number of management actions, most of which were designed to
ensure that good practice guidance is translated into action on the ground.
Particular attention needed to be given to three main areas to:
鈥? secure sustained commitment from managers at the top level;
鈥? deliver the right data and systems to support better attendance management;
and
鈥? provide leadership, support and training for line managers.
12 In combination, these strategic factors need to be in place as the high level
model of a sound framework for attendance management. They need to be
embedded into management and reporting structures at all levels if sustainable gains
are to be secured. Models for the management of heath and safety already exist and
the delivery plan includes further work to provide a model of a well managed
organisation, including the impact of factors such as job design and work
organisation, given that sickness absence performance can be seen as one indicator
of organisational health. It also adds the possibility of pilot studies, the sharing of
results and so a gradually improving consensus on good practice.
Delivery actions
13 The delivery plan is attached at Annex A. It includes details of a range of
pilots and actions designed to support each of these areas. Based on the Task
Force鈥檚 recommendations it sets out measures to address:
鈥? fundamental systems changes 鈥? those that address senior management,
accountability, data and training issues;
鈥? short term sickness absence through a series of pilots, with the outcomes
being disseminated widely;
鈥? long term sickness absence, including access to occupational health services;
鈥? the levers that will encourage and sustain improvements in attendance
management in the wider public sector.
14 In each case it includes outlines of accountability for delivery, monitoring and
reporting, milestones and evaluation measures.
Impact of environmental factors
15 Two factors may affect the delivery of reductions in sickness absence in the
medium term (that is over the next three years). First, it is likely that the introduction
of improved on-line HR IT systems will improve both reporting to the new systems
and reporting from them, with on-line data to any level of the organisation. This is
likely to result in some short term absences (typically of one to three days) being
captured that are not currently being picked up through paper reporting systems.
While the new systems (assuming that they are supported by improved training for
managers in the actions they need to take at certain trigger points and in identifying
and dealing with patterns of short term absence) should go some way towards
counteracting the impact of better reporting, it is impossible to judge the extent of
underreporting at present.
16 Secondly, the public sector faces a period of considerable change including
organisational restructuring, relocation and pressures on staff numbers. The
evidence indicates that these factors will tend to increase uncertainty that may exhibit
itself in higher levels of sickness absence.
Baseline measure
17 The key measure by which progress towards the target can be assessed is
the number of days of sickness absence per staff member in a given year. This
information is collected annually by the Cabinet Office for the civil service from
payroll data (the AON reports) and in 2003 it was 10.0 days (9.8 in 2002).
Comparable data is available for each year from 1999. Similar information is
collected for local authorities using Best Value Performance Indicator (BVPI) 12; and
should be available from public reports from, for example, Police Services and NHS
Trusts. As new HR management systems are rolled out it should be possible to
report more helpfully for managers on this headline measure eventually with online
reporting for all levels of the public sector.
18 Other contextual information can be drawn from:
鈥? reports from public sector organisations (based on management information
and results from staff attitude surveys) on the implementation and impact of
attendance management policies;
鈥? the Labour Force Survey, and the introduction of the HSE Workplace Health
and Safety Survey (WHASS) all of which shed light on work related aspects
of sickness absence and causes;
鈥? surveys carried out by external stakeholders such as the Confederation of
British Industry, Trade Union Congress and Chartered Institute of Personnel
and Development.
Risks and assumptions
19 Assumptions. Delivery of the Task Force鈥檚 recommendations is based on a
number of assumptions. For example, we are assuming that the areas that have
been highlighted for attention (summarised in paragraph 11 above) will have the
desired impact on sickness absence levels. It is not possible to calculate the exact
contribution that any one initiative will make to the achievement of the target but
evidence indicates that, in combination, these management actions will make a
difference.
20 Risks. The Task Force has noted that managing sickness absence is not
鈥渞ocket science鈥?, and highlighted some of the reasons why earlier initiatives failed to
have the desired impact. The strategic risks (and how they will be managed) can be
summarised under the following headings:
鈥? Leadership. Top level interest in the issues dissipates as other priorities
come to the fore leading to a loss of momentum. Ministers have indicated
that the Task Force will remain in existence for two years to provide
leadership to the programme, receive progress reports and help the process
of spreading best practice. In the civil service the use of the Performance
Partnerships exercise will help to ensure that the issues remain high on the
top management agenda; and the delivery plan includes actions to replicate
this in other parts of the pubic sector;
鈥? Systems. Traditional payroll systems fail to provide real time and accurate
information to managers at all levels. This is covered in the delivery plan and
the systems provided by the main suppliers of the new HR systems include
the information to improve attendance management and provide trigger points
for management action;
鈥? Management. Support and training for managers focuses on the operation of
new procedures at the expense of developing skills in identifying problems,
the range of referral and other actions available to support the early return of
absent staff. Departments and others will be asked to report on this as they
implement new HR systems.
21 Other risks include:
鈥? reported sickness absence increasing with improved systems and
organisational change 鈥? see paragraph 16 above;
鈥? the need to ensure that there are structured and coordinated links between
this delivery plan and other agendas, such as the OGC鈥檚 work on efficiency
and increasing productive time;
鈥? the need to ensure that stakeholders support the objectives as part of a
balanced package that supports the occupational health of public sector
workers and improves work organisation and job design.
Monitoring and evaluation
22 Monitoring. High level monitoring will be based on surveys and reports of
sickness absence levels across the public sector at least annually (summarised in
paragraph 17 above).
23 Detailed monitoring arrangements and accountabilities for specific activities
and strategies are included in Annex A. The Task Force secretariat will coordinate
monitoring and reporting arrangements.
24 Evaluation. We have asked those departments involved in running pilot
initiatives to build in evaluation measures and report on them. More generally, it is
difficult to assess the precise impact of specific measures (for example, securing top
level commitment) to 鈥渂ottom line鈥? reductions in absence. There is scope for further
work on evaluation by DWP and HSE analysts.
Dependencies
25 The following government departments and organisations are key partners in
the successful delivery of the Task Force recommendations and target:
鈥? the Cabinet Office 鈥? specifically the Corporate Development Group and Office
of Public Services Reform in respect of central guidance on attendance
management to central government, the Performance Partnerships exercise
and the engagement of stakeholders in the wider public sector through the
Public Service Forum;
鈥? HSE鈥檚 Public Services Programme team in terms of the delivery of HSC/E
targets and its work in the public sector on prevention and health and safety
management, especially on stress and musculo skeletal disorders;
鈥? The Office of Government Commerce, specifically in its work to support
departments in achieving benefits associated with reduced sickness absence
through the Productive Time element of their efficiency plans;
鈥? ODPM (and the Local Authority Employers Organisation) and DoH (and the
NHS Employers organisation) to ensure that the recommendations from the
Task Force report are implemented in the local authority and the health
service sectors;
鈥? The Scottish Executive, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland
Office in view of their interest in public sector productivity;
鈥? Departments such as DWP, Inland Revenue and HM Prison Service which
are taking forward pilot initiatives.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY MINISTERIAL TASK FORCE
DELIVERY PLAN - MANAGING SICKNESS ABSENCE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR REPORT.
Item RECOMMENDATION/ACTION Lead Milestones/ Evaluation Monitor End
(Report paragraph number in brackets) baselines timescale/
report
Block 1 - Fundamental systems changes
1.1 Use the performance partnerships exercise and analogous mechanisms for CO Annual written See 1.1.1 TF Annual
agencies etc, and the efficiency review to institutionalise absence statement by Secretariat
management within organisations and through a dedicated annual written departments on
statement to Parliament. (4.4) progress and
achievements.
Summaries to Task
Force
1.1.1 Performance Partnerships - To include one high level absence CO Agree indicator and Departmental CO Ongoing
management indicator as part of the six monthly departmental performance implement from mid performance and
reviews by the Cabinet Secretary. 05/06 ability to report on
top level indicator
every 6 months.
1.1.2 Agencies 鈥? To ensure that agencies include absence management reports CO Baselines from AON. Agency CO and Ongoing
and indicators in performance reports Letter to Departments to performance and TF
set up arrangement by ability to report on Secretariat
end Feb 2005. top level indicator.
Implement for reports on Annual synopsis to
2005-06 outturn TF
1.1.3 Written statement to Parliament CO Statement on rates and As above CO Annual
and management initiatives action
HRDG by each dept, annually
1.2 Management information systems to provide for real time recording and All CO (Conditions and New systems CO In line with
audit and agree trigger points. (4.8) depart Employment Relations) provide information plans for
ments to write to HR directors based on guidance the roll out
Main suppliers of new
(SAP, Oracle, systems.
PeopleSoft)
systems can
provide real time
information.
1.3 HR management information systems CO/ CO (Corporate New systems
Provide good practice guidance on tailoring and using new IT systems for HSE Management Group) to provide information
absence management (4.7) write to HR Directors to managers
based on
HMPS example 鈥? Quarterly review document produced since July 2000 HMPS can provide guidance.
based on absence levels and targets at all levels. Oracle HR system being examples of their Main suppliers of
implemented along with National Shared Service Centre. Pilot areas to experiences to the TF or systems have
start in 2006. other departments confirmed that they
can provide the
1.4 As new HR systems are installed, train managers in both the systems and CO/H
information.
procedures and the skills they need to deal with absence management SE
(4.13).
1.5 Central HR support to enable move towards integrating absence and All CO
performance management (4.14) depart
ments
1.6 Departments to consider whether recruitment procedures are robust in All CO
terms of pre employment checks as to an individual鈥檚 absence record. depart
(4.11) ments
1.7 Departments to reconsider whether their support to managers and those All CO
who are sick is sufficient in respect of (a) professional HR advice and other depart
support services and building the HR skills base; (b) formal access to ments
occupational health services to promote early intervention and planned
early return. (4.14)
Block 2 鈥? SHORT TERM ABSENCE
Item RECOMMENDATION/ACTION Lead Milestones/ Evaluation Monitor
(Report paragraph number in brackets) baselines
2.1 IR, CO/ TF
Insisting on certification and moving towards disciplinary proceedings
HMPS Secretariat
for persistent offenders. (5.4.A)
Being trialled in:
2.1.1 Inland Revenue - five absences in 12 months triggers a formal management Started September Comparison of
review which may insist on certification for subsequent absences and/or 2004. Linked to HMRC sickness absence
issuing and formal warning. Integration approvals levels against
Aims - To make more, and better, use of inefficiency procedures where the process business units not in
pattern of absences is a cause for concern; To better align managing the pilot
unsatisfactory absence procedures with the corresponding sickness absence Integration with Customs
procedures. & Excise 鈥? April 2005 Feedback from
Roll out - through integrating unsatisfactory attendance element of the jobholders, line
Managing Unsatisfactory Attendance & Performance (MAP) (鈥滻nefficiency managers and Trade
Action鈥?) procedure and the managing sickness absence processes. And Union Side
through support from the Management Framework and Management
capability training
2.1.2 HM Prison Service (HMPS) securing an 18% reduction in absence. New version of Bradford Sickness rates for
Greater use of disciplinary proceedings. HMPS introduced mandatory Score introduced by the this category of
warnings for all staff based on a version of the Bradford Score, named the Prison Service in absence already
Attendance Score. There is no discretion to not warn staff unless the case November 2002 down 18% Quarterly
has first been consider by an external occupational health specialist who Jan 2004. New reports reports monitor
considers the case a serious condition according to an agreed definition. introduced identifying dismissals and new
Such cases protect staff with cancer, heart conditions etc. If necessary long every member of staff monthly reports all
running cases can be dealt with by long-term case management and medical breaching the staff breaching
inefficiency etc. The system is also supported by IT systems to identify attendance triggers. attendance triggers
individual staff breaching the trigger point and audit if proper action has been
taken. Nearly 300 staff were dismissed in 2003-4 for either breach of short-
term poor attendance procedures or left through medical inefficiency
procedures.
2.2 DWP, CO/ TF
Bringing in OH for absences above a given number of days in a 12
HMPS Secretariat
month period (where possible), to pick up early signs of longer term
problems and issues. (5.4.B)
Being trialled in.
2.2.1 DWP - Piloted in Jobcentre Plus from March- September 2004 (similar pilot Pilot end 鈥? September Detail will depend on
currently running in Child Support Agency, but across all sites) 2004 roll out strategy
Early evaluation 鈥? Nov Initial pilot showed
Roll out: Decision on how to roll out will be based on cost and evaluation of 04 reduction in absence
pilot. Full evaluation and in pilot sites
recommendations to HR
Board 鈥? Feb 05
Plans for wider roll out in
place April 2005
To include evaluation
strategy and dates
2.2.2 New procedures The greatest
HMPS
Stress related absence has been identified as a key cause of sickness in requiring immediate contribution is the
HMPS accounting for 25 percent of absence. Stress related absence is referral introduced in resolution of cases
considered especially responsive to early intervention and support. 2002. and increase in exits
HMPS has introduced mandatory trigger for all staff diagnosed a suffering and medical
with a stress related illness to be referred immediately to the OH provider as Planned to let HMPS retirement.
well as staff care and welfare services. wide contract for stress Evaluation to
Mandatory referrals 鈥? HMPS has triggers for mandatory referrals to the OH counselling and support continue through
Provider. Staff with stress or psychological illness must be referred in 2006 to boost current reporting in quarterly
immediately, and all other cases must be referred after 20 working days arrangements delivered sickness reviews.
absence. Mandatory referral after 6 months absence includes an by welfare services.
assessment for eligibility to be considered for medical retirement.
OH reports give departments information on diagnosis, prognosis and
whether a condition should be excluded from any Attendance Score
calculation. Early referral also provides advice on adjustments that may be
made to facilitate the return of the member of staff.
2.3.1 DWP, CO/ TF
Formally auditing adherence to triggers - formalising requirement for
HMPS Secretariat
return to work interviews after a given length of absence, and defining
IR
key trigger points. (5.4.C)
Being trialled in:
2.3.2 Policy already in place in Evaluation of
DWP
Aim: Evaluate both compliance with, and effectiveness of, policy of DWP compliance and
mandatory Welcome Back Discussion after every absence. quality of
April 2005 鈥? New L&D intervention
Roll out: Already in place, but evaluation will enable us to identify further products Impact on sickness
learning needs Jan 2006 - Evaluation absence
complete Perceptions of
managers and staff
Evaluation of L&D
material
2.3.3 HMPS, where a mandatory system of return to work interviews has been New procedures Return to work
adopted. Two levels of absence are required: an informal discussion for short requiring mandatory interviews
periods of self certificated absence; and a formal system of recording return to work interviews contributed to the fall
absences over 7 day in duration. Compliance with these mandatory were introduced in 2002. in short term
procedures is evidenced as part of a regular audit process, and is monitored Adoption of internal and absence of 12%.
corporately by the board. self-audit standards for Compliance
Aims: Return to work interviews are mandatory in HMPS, regardless of sickness management in monitored through
length of sickness absence. With the exception of very short absences, the 2003 system of internal
interview is initially recorded on the individual鈥檚 personnel file but the and self-audits. Key
requirement to conduct return to work interviews is also checked annually by actions are recorded
the Standard Audit Unit against the Prison Service Standards. Believed that with regular audits to
ensuring consistent compliance with procedures by managers at all stages is monitor compliance.
the key to success in achieving reductions in sickness rates.
2.3.4 Inland Revenue - auditing managers鈥? application of sickness absence Through QA/QC
Started
procedures. December 2004 - e-HR programme
window
Aims
To use e-HR sickness absence workflow for auditing manager鈥檚 application
of procedures; to make managers more accountable for applying the QA/QC model and
sickness absence procedures; to help reduce short-term frequent and programme for
recurring absence levels IR/CE Integration at April
05
Roll out
Through a controlled QA/QC process and captured in departments鈥? published
audit programmes
2.4.1 IR CO/ TF
Requiring daily phone calls to the office when unexpectedly off sick for
(Other Secretariat
short periods; encouraging staff to ring in each day on unexpected self-
s?)
certificated sickness absence. (5.4.D)
2.4.2 To be trialled in IR contact centres. Work starts 28/1/05 Reduced absence
IR (from April 2005, HMRC) will use Cabinet Office/HSE studies of the Develop pilot plan by levels in contact
Contact Centre sector to inform best practice across a range of sickness Sept 05 centres
absence processes (including the requirement for jobholders to keep their TF secretariat to contact Scope for
line informed of their absence) - proven particularly relevant to telephony other departments to run dissemination and
business. parallel trials Sept 05 take up
2.5.1 Systematising checks on persistent Monday/Friday absence. (5.4.E) DWP CO/ TF
Secretariat
2.5.2 To be trialled in DWP where component businesses will benchmark Monday Starts April 2005 - Local Identify scale and
and Friday absences across the organisation once HR systems are in place April 05, Managers have extent of problem
in the new year. access to MI from HR and whether existing
Aim: To identify absence patterns and tackle persistent Mon/Fri absence system policy, if applied
Roll-out: 鈥榩ilot鈥? will cover whole of DWP. properly, is able to
June 2005 Businesses tackle problem.
report quarterly on Work with DWP
absence patterns businesses to
Dec 2005 Review policy identify local,
to identify possible policy business and DWP-
changes wide solution as
appropriate
2.6.1 DWP CO/ TF
Not paying staff failing to certificate after absences of more than 5
Secretariat
working days. (5.4.F)
2.6.2 Trialled in DWP, where unauthorised absence is dealt with as a conduct Possible start date April April 2006 identify:
issue, and an individual is given written notice that unless a certificate is 2005 Scale of unauthorised
produce within five working days payment of salary will be stopped. absence. Appropriate
action taken or not.
Aim: To establish effectiveness of existing policy in DWP. To amend/clarify Effectiveness of
policy if not effective existing guidance
Roll-out: April 2006 if changes are necessary
2.7.1 More sensitive arrangements for special/compassionate leave; Defra, CO/ TF
DWP, Secretariat
initialising of flexi days. (5.4.G)
Flexibility for line managers on granting special leave to be trialled in Defra, IR
DWP and IR.
2.7.2 IR Aims Alignment of IR and C&E Confidential
To encourage jobholders not to mask their reason for absence under, time off policies IR and questionnaire to
鈥渟ickness absence鈥? when the circumstances are not appropriate; To ensure C& E Integration at April jobholders
line managers give consideration to requests to time off and utilisation of the 2005 Comparing existing
relevant option/arrangement flexibilities against
other departments鈥?
End date
Alignment with accordance with DEFRA and DWP trial end dates (especially DEFRA
and DWP trials) time
Roll out
Through all departments adopting the same time-off arrangements 鈥? subject off options
to business needs Assessing extent of
Through awareness communication to jobholders and line managers usage of available
options
2.7.3 September 2004 Once IT system in
DWP
Aim: To reduce inappropriate sick leave Timing depends on roll place, will monitor
out of HR system. take-up quarterly
Earliest date for system
monitoring 鈥? May 2005
2.8.1 Volunt CO/ TF
Sector specific solutions, notably with contact centres (5.6)
eers Secretariat
In January 2005, IR to engage its Contact Centres key stakeholders on ways Precise details of
to reduce that business unit鈥檚 sickness absence levels. The emerging issues identified activity will be
will determine how to proceed and identify the deliverable outcomes. submitted with the next
update for the Ministerial
Task Force Delivery
Plan.
BLOCK 3 鈥? LONG TERM ABSENCE
Item RECOMMENDATION/ACTION Lead Milestones/ Evaluation Monitor End
(Report paragraph number in brackets) baselines timescale/
report
3.1 Bring together the literature on the fundamental causes of sickness, where HSE Scoping note to Public Take up and action CO/ TF Progress
they can be related to workplace practice, and seeing how changes to Service Forum by end across public Secretariat report
workplace practice can reduce sickness (1.15). Feb 2005 sector Sept 05
3.2 Public Service Forum to discuss and appraise this work and to initiate a OPSR Links to action with Long term impact OPSR/CO March 06
debate on how job and workplace design can improve to reduce absence in Work Foundation on the on job design and
the workplace. (6.2) mode of the well organisation
managed organisation
3.3 Exploring the role of non-GP occupational health services through pilots TF Work with OGC to Pilots initiated and CO/ TF March 06
within departments. This is an area where there is scope for piloting on an Sec identify pilots from evaluation in place Secretariat
鈥渋nvest to save鈥? basis. (1.15) and 鈥減roductive time鈥?
CO efficiencies, by Sept 05
3.4 HSE to develop a package of support that helps a small number of public HSE) Programme plan by end Targets for levels TF Report on
sector organisations to use the stress Management Standards, implement (Public March. of absence caused Secretariat progress
the their action plans and evaluate the results. (6.3) Servs Top level discussions by stress in target and new
Team) with TF departments by depts and other pilots Dec
3.5 HSE to develop a planned programme of high level contacts with key public HSE end June organisations TF 05
sector delivery organisations, promote Management Standards and agree (Public Work with OGC to Secretariat
the key H&S challenges they face and work with these organisations to Servs identify others for joint Reporting to DWP
establish targets, develop solutions and evaluate the results. To report Team) working on H&S ministers through
regularly the Task Force on progress. (6.4) Projects in place by HSE PSA
September reporting process.
Progress towards
efficiency gains
associated with
absence
management
under OGC
鈥淧roductive time鈥?
work stream
3.6 HSE work specifically aimed at reducing the incidence of MSDs to include HSE To be included in Awareness and TF April, 06
new initiatives in the public sector. (6.5) targeted HSE activity on departments Secretariat
MSDs in June 2005 developing action
plans and targets
for MSDs
3.7 Tax treatment - HSE to lead a revision of the guidance and dissemination, HSE/I Initiate Sept 05. Clarity of guidance TF Feb 06
with the close involvement of IR. If there is evidence of differences of R Complete Jan 06 and consistency of Secretariat
interpretation of the rules within tax offices, guidance for tax inspectors treatment
should be clarified.(6.10)
3.8 Medical retirement - All public sector organisations to review individual All Departments to be Reductions in very CO/ TF June 06
cases and case management arrangements for very long term absence depart invited to set out plans long term cases Secretariat
(e.g. over 6 months). (6.13) ments by Sept 05 through
and Reviews complete by rehabilitation or
others June 06 other action
3.9 Occupational sick pay - (1) Find organisations willing to pilot new TF Trawl for volunteers by Impact n sickness CO/ TF Progress
Sec June 05 rates for pilot Secretariat report Dec
approaches, especially for new joiners on probation periods or new
and groups 05
contract staff 鈥? departments are being 鈥榣ined up鈥? to pilot approaches
CO to To meet IND and Home
and report back on findings.
find Office to identify scope Scope for wider
(2) Payment of Standard Pay at Pension Rate (SPPR) is an option for civil volunt for pilots by March 05 use of these
service staff on long term sickness absence for whom entitlement to six eers measures
months on full pay followed by six months on half pay have been Pilots in place with
exhausted. Employers to review entitlement to SPPR. (6.15) evaluation plans by end
05
Integration of IR and C&E provides the opportunity for exploring
improvements to various aspects of sick pay provisions with the aim of
reducing sickness absence levels. Integration approvals process to review
proposals affecting terms and conditions that reduce pay bill and achieve
increased productivity.
3.10 Incentives - DWP to explore the possibility of piloting incentives for good DWP November 2005 Sustained CO/ TF July 2006
performance as part of their overall approach to attendance management. improvement in Secretariat
(6.17) Aim: To improve attendance levels. DWP to develop pilots to run attendance levels /HMT
concurrently in different sites. in pilot areas.
Evaluation to
determine which
approaches to be
rolled out across
DWP.
3.11 Medium term absences - Task force to return to this aspect of managing CO/ Work with HMPS to Subject to initial CO/ TF Mar 06
sickness absence as part of its forward work plan. (6.19) TF identify issues and scoping study Secretariat
Secret problems, scope for
ariat action, Dec 05
Paper to Task Force
Mar 06
Block 4 - Sustainability in the wider public sector
Item RECOMMENDATION/ACTION Lead Milestones/ Evaluation Monitor End
(Report paragraph number in brackets) baselines timescale/
report
4.1 HSE to ensure effective sickness absence management is embedded into HSE Discussions with NAO, Take up of support CO/OGC/ Annual
the efficiency programme and wider public sector performance audit with Pub AC in January. from identified TF report to
OGC, NAO, Audit Commission; and report back to the Task Force. (7.1/2) Servs HSE to work with OGC change agents. Secretariat Task
Team to identify Change Departments on Force on
Agents to support trajectory for progress
departments with meeting identified
identification and efficiency savings
implementation of
productive time absence
management benefits.
To identify, scope, role
and funding for change
agents by April 05
4.2 The Task force will invite the Work Foundation to undertake joint work with HSE Initial discussion Interest and take CO/ TF End 05
HSE on a profile for the well managed organisation, to assist Boards take Public January 2005 up across public Secretariat
the issues forward. (4.5) Servs Project plan and scope sector through
Team agreed by end Feb 05 to Public Service
includes dissemination. Forum 鈥? see
Steering group above
established end Feb 05
Complete by September
05
Disseminate and
promote Sept 鈥? Dec 05
4.3 Task Force will complete, and discuss with stakeholders, a delivery plan to CO/ Plan complete end Feb Feedback from TF/CO Progress
implement the recommendations in this report as a matter of urgency. TF 05 stakeholders reports to
(1.19) Secret Circulate to Progress on all TF every
ariat stakeholders end March actions 6 months
05
Stakeholder seminar on
plan and progress end
05
4.4 TF to invite Permanent Secretaries and board champions in the civil service CO/TF See 1.1 Reports received CO/ TF Annually
to provide annual reports on their progress on attendance management. Secret Develop reporting and impact of Secretariat
These reports should be the explicit responsibility of a nominated ariat template by March 05 actions on
departmental board champion. (7.3) based on key indicators sickness rates
and key actions
Write to champions April
05
Depts to report annually
4.5 TF to ask the Public Service Forum to report on progress on implementing OPSR Initial discussion at PSF Progress on, e.g., CO/ TF June 06
these recommendations across the wider public sector. (7.14) CO/ Sept 05 DoH/NHS 鈥淗ealthy Secretariat
TF Framework for reporting Working Lives鈥?
Secret agreed Dec 05 and impact on
ariat Reports June 06 absence
4.6 DoH and ODPM to report to the Task Force on how these levers to secure DoH, TF secretariat and CO Pilots on LA and CO/ TF TF report
top level commitment and reporting are applied in health services and local ODPM to discuss with DoH and NHS sectors, Secretariat Dec 05
authorities early in 2005. (7.6, 7.11) ODPM and agree impact on absence
strategic plans for LAs against plans and
and NHS involvement targets
by Sept 05
4.7 ODPM to work with the Employers Organisation (EO) to collect absence ODPM As for 4.6 As for 4.6 TF Sec As for 4.6
data, etc to help meet the outcomes of the Efficiency Review by increasing LA EO
productive time by reducing sickness absence. (7.11)
4.8 Stakeholder dialogue - Stakeholders to be involved in high level CO, As above. Paper to TF Stakeholder buy in CO/ TF Ongoing
discussions on sickness absence through the Public Services Forum, All on stakeholder and support Secretariat
supplemented by management/trade union engagement at central and local engagement by June 05
levels in each of the relevant sectors.(7.14)
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