PART 1
ITEM NO.
(OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)
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REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL & PERFORMANCE
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TO THE QUALITY & PERFORMANCE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
ON 27th AUGUST 2003
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TITLE: SICKNESS ABSENCE 2002 / 03
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RECOMMENDATIONS: THAT the Committee determine what further reports they require
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This report sets out the full year position regarding time lost due to sickness
absence and an analysis of long term and short term absences. In addition it sets out year on year
comparison information.
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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
(Available for public inspection)
Best Value Performance Plan 2002/03
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CONTACT OFFICER: David Burgess – 793 3533
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WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S):
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KEY COUNCIL POLICIES: Performance Management and Best Value
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1.0
Details
1.1
The Committee in accordance with its work programme has requested this report for the
year.
1.2
The report is in three sections:




Figures for the whole authority showing year on year data and comparison information
(Appendix A)
A Directorate by Directorate breakdown of absences over the year based on
information held on the Payroll / HR system (Appendix B)
A breakdown of long term and short term absences again by Directorate and also by
reason for absence (Appendices C1 & C2 respectively)
A year on year comparison of absence levels showing the trend over time and showing
a Directorate breakdown (Appendix D)
1.3
Directorate Champions have been asked to comment on the information contained in this
report. Any information received will be available for the meeting.
1.4
Members should note that the figures for the Housing Services Directorate are somewhat
misleading as they contain information for the first half of the year relating to staff who
transferred to NPHL. In accordance with the Audit Commission definition for this Best Value
Performance Indicator, information for the period after September 2002 relates only those
people who remained in the employment of the City Council. This has had the effect of
skewing their average. This should not be an issue in future reports.
2.0
Points to Note
2.1
The overall trend has seen a significant reduction in absence levels over the past few years
from a peak of 14.33 days in 1999/2000 to 11.98 days in 2002/03.
2.2
Appendix A contains details of year-on-year absence rates for the whole authority together
with information showing Salford’s position in relation to other authorities. In addition the
Appendix shows our targets for performance.
2.3
The most common reasons for absence are:




3.0
Stress depression etc (long and short term)
Infections (short term)
Back and neck problems (long and short term)
Other musculo skeletal problems (long and short term)
2.4
However, the most common reason for absence held on the system is “Other”. This is the
case for both long and short term absences.
2.5
There are continuing doubts about the accuracy and completeness of the information held
on the system especially with regard to the reasons for absence.
2.6
There are also difficulties in easily accessing accurate and timely reports.
2.7
The system is capable of and is used to produce reports for outstationned personnel teams
and line managers on employees who meet the various trigger points in the attendance
management policy.
Actions

Additional training for line managers in implementing the sickness absence procedure

Standardisation of processing absence recording both within Directorates and within the
Finance Support Group. For example, this would emphasise the importance accurate recording
of reasons for absence which in turn should reduce the level of “Other” absences.

Engage consultants to advise on better ways to hold absence data on the system and produce
more “user friendly” reports

Streamlining the process for absence recording is being investigated (for example, Directorates
entering absences directly onto the system is one option. This may improve the accuracy of the
information held.)

Introduce as much automated report generation as possible (eg developing workflow for
managers.)

Investigate the scope to synchronise these actions with any actions coming form the
Committee’s discussion of the report back on SAP (scheduled for the September meeting).

Produce a timed action plan for making improvements with measurable outcomes and officers
responsible for action identified.
Appendix A 12
P.I. Ref 185
2002/03 Comparator Action Plan - Quarter 4
Average days lost due to sickness
BVPI 12
Family
Days
Trend
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
13.38
1995/96
13.76
1996/97
13.59
1997/98
13.55
1998/99
14.33
12.30
1999/00
Ranking against all GM Councils (of 10)
Ranking against family authorities (of 21)
Range for all Mets Councils
2000/01
6th
12th
2001/02
11.80
Met Average
00/01
11.56
Family
Average
00/01
3rd
Quartile level for all Authorities
4th
10.40
10.84
Met Top
Quartile
00/01
Salfords
Target
2002/03
PERFORMANCE IS BELOW
TARGET
7.9- 17.96
Quartile level for Mets
Performance Indicator Action Plan
Salford's Targets
13.72
LOWER FIGURE IS PREFERABLE
Q1
Q2
Q3
11.98
9.60
Salfords 5
Year Target
2001/02
11.24
11.51
11.92
Salfords
Current
Position
2002/03
2002/03
11.70
11.79
11.80
Date: 03/03
Comments on Current Performance:
Whilst the figure is not yet at the target level the full year figure for 2002/03 shows an improvement from 12.30
days to 11.98 days average per employee.
As part of the quality assurance and 2001/02 audit of the figures it was identified that the method of calculating
this indicator was not in accordance with the Audit Commission's definition. The possible action to be taken to
correct the position is detailed in the Current / Proposed Action section of this proforma. A revised method of
calculating the figure reported in the Best Value Performance Plan has been developed pending the
implementation of the actions detailed later in this document. (If we had used the old method of calculation the
end of year figure would have been 11.74 days.)
The quartile levels and comparison data shown above are based on a comparison of other authorities' 2001/02
Out-Turn figures with our current (ie 2002/03) position.
Barriers to Improvement:
The information held on the system will inevitably be entered in arrears as reports are received. The information
held on the system takes into account sickness absence of those employees who work at schools that have opted
out of Salford's payroll service. Those schools have been asked to provide regular returns of absences.
Members will be aware that this is one of 15 indicators highlighted by the Audit Commission as being High Risk
of inaccurate reporting.
During the calculation of this indicator it was discovered that the way in which the Payroll / Personnel System
holds absence information does not allow for the average number of days absence to be calculated in accordance
with the PI definition. This means that the information downloaded from SAP has to be manually processed in
order to ensure compliance.
In addition, it appeared that some data held was inaccurate – particularly in respect of reasons for absence. This
inhibits our ability to analyse effectively causes for absence and develop strategies to reduce absence levels.
The possible action to be taken to correct the error is detailed in the Current / Proposed Action section of this
proforma
Current/Proposed Action:
Monitoring and reporting of absence levels to Directorate managers will continue. Further training in the
operation of the management procedures will continue to be offered. Each Directorate has nominated a
"Champion" who will lead efforts to reduce absence levels.
The programme of briefings for managers and supervisors will continue to be implemented.
Information will be produced on a Directorate - by - Directorate basis to allow for remedial action / additional
support to be targeted where it is most needed.
Possible Changes to the Information System
In order to ensure that we will be able to calculate the indicator in accordance with the definition in future a
number of changes will need to be made to the way in which work schedules are held for employees who do not
work a standard Monday to Friday pattern.
The individual work patterns will need to be registered on the system for each employee in order that days
recorded as absent due to sickness only include days on which the employee was due to work.
In addition, the calculation for the future will also need to take account accurately of absences for employees
who work part time - both employees who work part time each day and those who work full days for part of a
week.
Discussions have been held with the E-merge Team and an external consultant to identify the work involved in
reconfiguring the way the system holds attendance information. The first task to be completed is the collection of
actual work patterns for all employees. These will need to show:



The hours worked each day
The days worked each week
The frequency at which these hours / days are worked (ie rotation of pattern if any)
This information is needed before it will be possible to accurately estimate the work involved in making changes
to the system, as the number of variations will determine the workload for the E-merge Team.
In many cases the work pattern will be standard Monday to Friday. But in Community and Social Services for
example, it will be necessary to obtain the information from Unit / Establishment Managers because of the
autonomy which those managers have to make staffing arrangements which fit with client needs.
Given the existing demands on Outstationed Personnel Teams it is likely that additional temporary staff will
need to be engaged to interview line managers to obtain this base information. The work needed to prepare for
this initial survey will need to be started as soon as possible to allow for any changes to the system to be
rigorously tested before being implemented.
We were unable to implement any changes prior to submission of the 2003/03 indicators. However, we will aim
to ensure that any changes made to work schedules should be able to be backdated to allow for like for like, year
on year comparisons of future reports.
In the meantime officers from the Council's internal audit service have discussed a means of adjusting the figures
produced by SAP so as to offset inaccuracies in the way information is held. This method will be implemented to
produce the final figure for BVPP audit purposes and for future in-year monitoring reports.
Accuracy of Data Held
During the 2001/02 audit of this indicator it became clear that there were inaccuracies in the data held on the
system. Some absences shown were not supported by certificates and some certificates held on file were not
recorded on the system as absences. The method of recording and reporting absences is seen as a priority for
changes we need to make to SAP and supporting systems. The need for accurate and standardised processes both
within Directorates and within the Finance Support Group has been stressed.
The possibility of using web based forms to enable line managers to enter absence information directly into the
SAP information system is being investigated. This should improve the accuracy and timeliness of reports.
Top Quartile to be Achieved By (Date):
March 2002
Lead Officer:
Debbie Brown