Long-term Sick Leave - FOI Response Register

1. Please provide me with the number a) doctors, b) nurses and c) midwives who were on long-term sick leave in i) 2019/20, ii) 2020/21, iii) 2021/22, iv) 2022/23 and v) 2023/24

For the purpose of the response "long-term" is regarded as in excess of 28 days, as per NHS Scotland Attendance Policy. Please note that if an employee has multiple posts and had a period of long-term sick leave in both posts they are counted as one employee in the figures above. Equally, if an employee has had more than one episode of long-term absence in a financial year they are counted as one. If an employee had an sickness absence spanning two financial years, with the period of absence in one of the financial years being less than 28 days then they are not counted in that financial year. If the employee's absence spans a financial year and the period of absence in each year is in excess of 28 days then they are counted as one in each financial 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.