Update on the Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group at the Regional Health Forum

 
Bill Maher, CEO of the Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group and Tony Canavan, Chief Operating Officer attended the Regional Health Forum Area West meeting in Galway today and provided an update on developments in the Hospital Group.
 
Absenteeism
The Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group continues to take a multi-faceted and consistent approach to promoting improved attendance with a focus on providing supportive structures for staff who, either as a result of the working environment or in the course of natural life events, become ill and by addressing any inappropriate use of sick leave schemes.
 
Bill Maher, CEO for the Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group said, “Across the Group we are making progress with absenteeism and in 2012, the rate dropped from 5.16% in January to 4.69% in December. This pattern has been reflected in the data for Galway University Hospitals with a reduction of 10.16% when December 2012 is compared to January 2012 (from 5.30% to 4.42%). The corresponding reduction nationally was only 2.24% and GUH absence compares favourably with national data for the past four years. These figures demonstrate a significant decrease in the absenteeism rate and we continue to move closer to the national target of 3.5% with GUH absence for February 2013 at 4.36%.
 
“Attendance and absenteeism are standing items on the Group Management Team agenda and monthly absenteeism reports which highlight the areas in need of most attention are given to each Directorate. These ‘league tables’ are used to target areas which are audited for their implementation of the Managing Attendance Policy and any deficiencies arising from these are addressed.
 
“We place a huge emphasis on the Return to Work discussions following each absence, we monitor frequent short-term illnesses and have review meetings between staff members and their line managers. This is followed, where absenteeism is ongoing, by Return to Work Reviews, and may ultimately lead to the suspension of sick pay or disciplinary procedures being invoked.
 
“When a staff member is on sick leave, they are required to speak to their line manager at the earliest opportunity on the first day of absence as per the Managing Attendance Policy. Additionally, the granting of sick pay is discretionary and subject to compliance with the sick leave procedure and the Managing Attendance Policy. Since 01 November 2012 the number of days that staff may claim paid self-certified sick leave has been reduced to seven days over a two year period (previously it was seven days over one year). If an absence exceeds two continuous days, a medical certificate must be submitted on the third day. All absences are recorded by the HR Department onto an Absenteeism Database.
 
“For infection control purposes it is very important that anyone who is ill does not come to the hospital where viruses can spread to patients; this applies to staff who are ill also.”