Staff Sick Leave - FOI Response Register

1. Please provide with me the number of a) doctors, b) nurses and c) midwives currently on long term sick leave

Doctors – 0

Nurses – 7

Midwives – <5

2. Please provide me with the number a) doctors, b) nurses and c) midwives who were on sick leave in i) 2023, ii) 2022, iii) 2021, iv) 2020 and v) 2019

Please note the following:

For Question 1 long term sick leave has been defined as in excess of 28 calendar days, this being as at 31 January 2024

Figures are based on individuals, therefore if an employee has more than one post and has been absent in both posts they have been counted as 1.

If an employee has had more than one episode of absence in the calendar year they have been counted as 1.

Where an employee’s absence spans two calendar years they have been counted as 1 in each calendar year

Where we have given <5 answers this is because NHS Shetland considers that providing more specific information carries a high risk of identifying individuals. As such and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 38(1)(b) as read with s 38 (2A) as the information constitutes personal data and disclosure would breach the confidentiality of the data subjects.