Fast-tracking NHS staff for treatment takes pressure off colleagues and benefits patients
NHS staff who need medical treatment should be fast-tracked through the system so that they can get back on the job as fast as possible, the Society of Radiographers told TUC delegates in Brighton earlier this month.
The motion at this year’s Trades Union Congress asked the General Council to recognise that forcing employees to wait for specialist help or treatment results in the loss of a valuable NHS resource.
This has an immediate detrimental effect on patients and other staff who are covering for sick colleagues. Past experience has shown that where staff are working in poor conditions or to unreasonable stress targets, levels of absenteeism and sickness rise correspondingly.
“Improving occupational health facilities, working conditions and safety for all NHS workers must be a priority for all employers. A fast-track referral for incapacitated NHS staff will assist with the speedy reintroduction of their valuable skills and expertise, which is necessary for the maintenance of healthcare in the UK,” said Warren Town, the Society’s Director of Industrial Relations.
“Because of significant shortages of qualified personnel, it is particularly vital that staff such as radiographers return to work as quickly as possible.”
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