CBI slams 'sign-off culture'

UK public health system 'inefficient,' says CBI

The Confederation of British Industry, the UK's main employers' lobby, has accused the healthcare system of unnecessarily extending sickness absence by workers.

The CBI claims that a "sign-off" culture among UK doctors has boosted the cost of sickness absence borne by employers to £23bn a year.

The organisation is calling for greater use of private healthcare, arguing that this would make the health system more closely attuned to the needs of business.

"There is an inefficient and inadequate priority within the public health system and a failure to use private health expertise," said CBI deputy director general John Cridland.

"We have a bit of a sign-off culture in this country," he added.

Employers could do more

With one in four employers failing to keep records of absence, businesses could also do more to speed up employees' return to work, the CBI said.

The direct cost of sickness absence to UK industry is currently running at around £11bn a year, but sick pay and welfare payments boost the total to £23bn, according to CBI research.

Previous surveys have shown that around 200 million days, or 8.5 days per employee, are lost every year in the UK to sickness absence.

The surveys reveal that manual workers take more time off sick than their white collar counterparts.