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<p>NHS England publish staff sickness absence rates by organisation type. The latest
data for February 2023 shows that ambulance trusts had a sickness absence rate of
7.0%. This is lower than the 7.6% rate in January 2023 and lower than the rate in
February 2022 where the sickness absence rate was 8.5%.</p><p>NHS England is working
closely with ambulance trusts to ensure there is an effective health and wellbeing
offer that has a focus on prevention. This has included working in collaboration with
ambulance trusts and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives to develop rehabilitation
pathways for staff who have been on long term sickness and to improve the mental health
and wellbeing support available to staff. During 2022/23, a sector wide Attendance
Management group chaired by West Midlands Ambulance Service and London Ambulance Service
and facilitated by NHS England worked to review best practice on attendance to standardise
approaches across the sector.</p><p>The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan requires integrated
care systems to develop and implement plans to invest in occupational health and wellbeing
services. These should align with the NHS England strategy to grow occupational health
and wellbeing, published earlier this year, which sets out a roadmap for the National
Health Service and partner organisations to work together to develop and invest in
occupational health and wellbeing services for NHS staff over the next five years.</p>
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