Farnham and Bordon MP, Gregory Stafford, challenged the Health Secretary over the growing cost of sickness absence across the NHS, warning that billions of pounds are being lost while patients face longer waits for treatment. Citing research from Policy Exchange, Gregory highlighted that NHS staff sickness is estimated to cost taxpayers around £6 billion every year, removing more than 8 million clinician days from the frontline.
Policy Exchange's report NHS, Heal Thyself! also noted that sickness absence is running at almost three times the rate seen in the private sector, with long-term absences and staff leaving the NHS after going off sick both having risen significantly in recent years.
In response, the Health Secretary pointed to the Government's ambition to reduce sickness rates over the next decade and the planned rollout of staff treatment hubs from 2027. Gregory later said the Government's "ambition" is different to a clear plan, arguing that waiting years for measures to be introduced is not good enough. He warned that every year the issue goes unaddressed means billions more in costs, fewer patients receiving treatment, and greater pressure on the dedicated NHS staff working to keep services running.
