NHS Scotland performance against LDP standards

Performance data on the current Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standards - priorities set and agreed between the Scottish Government and NHS Boards to provide assurance on NHS Scotland performance. 


LDP Standard

NHS Boards to achieve a sickness absence rate of 4% or less.

Current national performance

In 2021/22, NHSScotland had a sickness absence rate of 5.69%.

About this LDP standard

Sickness absence in NHSScotland can result in cancelled appointments and procedures. It can also lead to increased pressure on staff and patients, increased costs of employing bank and agency staff, and reduced efficiency.

Figures for 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 do not include COVID-19 related absences as this is reported via a different system.

Performance against this standard

The standard is that NHS Boards achieve a sickness absence rate of 4% or less.

For financial year 2021/22, NHSScotland had a sickness absence rate of 5.69%.

The graph below shows national performance on the Sickness Absence standard since 2011/12.

NHS Board level performance is shown for the most recent time period in the table below.

The table below shows sickness absence rate, by NHS Board, for financial year 2021/22. Figures do not include COVID-19 related absences as this is reported via a different system.

NHS Board

Financial year 2021/2022

NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN

5.23%

NHS BORDERS

5.21%

NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY

5.45%

NHS FIFE

5.72%

NHS FORTH VALLEY

6.15%

NHS GRAMPIAN

4.62%

NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE

6.28%

NHS HIGHLAND

5.26%

NHS LANARKSHIRE

6.61%

NHS LOTHIAN

5.23%

NHS ORKNEY

4.90%

NHS SHETLAND

4.29%

NHS TAYSIDE

5.64%

NHS WESTERN ISLES

5.49%

NATIONAL WAITING TIMES CENTRE

5.87%

NHS 24

8.48%

NHS EDUCATION FOR SCOTLAND

1.62%

NHS HEALTH SCOTLAND

-

NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND

4.45%

NHS HEALTHCARE IMPROVEMENT SCOTLAND

3.43%

SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE

7.99%

STATE HOSPITAL

6.58%

NHSSCOTLAND

5.69%

Source: Scottish Workforce Information Standard System (SWISS)

Further information

NHSScotland Workforce Official Statistics

Related National Outcomes

Page updated: 13 June 2022.

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