Three Cork hospitals well above HSE targets on staff absence rates

New figures show only one Cork hospital met the HSE's 4% absence target, with rates reaching as high as 8% at Mallow General Hospital

South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) had a staff absence rate of 3.8% in August, the only hospital in Cork to fall below the HSE target rate. File picture: Dan Linehan

Three Cork hospitals had staff absence rates well above the national average last month, new figures have shown.

The HSE’s target absence rate is 4% or under, but only one Cork hospital managed to achieve this last month.

Figures published by the health service show staff absence rates across Cork hospitals ranged from 8% at Mallow General Hospital to 3.8% at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH).

The data also show that HSE South West, which covers Cork and Kerry, had some of the highest staff absence rates in the country.

The absence rate measures contracted hours not worked, excluding annual leave, public holidays, and maternity leave.

There was a rate of 5.8% in Cork University Hospital (CUH), 5.2% in Mercy University Hospital, 7.2% in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), and 7.3% in Bantry General Hospital.

CUH's rate was broadly in line with the national average, while the Mercy was slightly below it. SIVUH recorded a significantly lower rate at 3.8%. In contrast, Bantry General Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, and CUMH were all well above the national figure.

The report also found a wide variety in absence rates among different staff.

Medical and dental staff in Cork hospitals were among the lowest rates of absenteeism, which was under 2% in all in all six hospitals.

Nursing and midwifery staff had higher rates of absences — nearly 12% in Bantry, just over 8% in Mallow and CUMH, 6% in CUH, and 4%-5% in the Mercy and SIVUH.

Absence rates for management and administrative staff stood at 4.1% in SIVUH, 5.5% in the Mercy, 5.8% in CUH, 6.3% in Bantry, 7.1% in CUMH, and 10.9% in Mallow.

The highest rate of absenteeism in Cork was recorded among general support staff at CUMH, where 16.5% of workers were absent. Rates ranged from less than 2% at Bantry to 7.5% at CUH.

Maternity leave absence is calculated separately, and was lower across the board than sick leave — 2.5% in SIVUH, 3.5% in the Mercy, 3.6% in CUH, 4% in Mallow, and 6% in CUMH and Bantry.

HSE South West  had the second highest rate of both absence and maternity leave out of the six health regions in August.

Overall, HSE South West had a sickness absence rate of 6.6% in August, the highest recorded figure since January when it stood at 7.3%.

The region’s absence rate has remained consistently high when compared to other healthcare areas in Ireland.

A HSE South West spokesperson said a Supporting Attendance in the Workplace Group was set up in February to support staff wellbeing and attendance across Cork and Kerry. It include workshops, accommodations, and targeted interventions in areas with elevated absence rates.