Public Accounts Committee

PAC(5)-1-19 PTN3– 14 January 2019

Scrutiny of Accounts 2017-18

Additional Information from National Museum Wales regarding staff sickness absence

National Museum Wales Initiatives being implemented to address sick absence are focused to reducing the incidences of casual absences (i.e. short-term absences for minor ailments), and mental-health related absences. These include:

Ø Refresher training for managers in attendance management, in particular reminding them of Amgueddfa Cymru’s policies and procedures and the need to carry out the return to work interview for all absences;

Ø HR Advisor monitors absences on a weekly basis to ensure that the return to work interview has been carried out. Where this has not happened, email reminders are sent. This is followed up by HR Officers;

Ø Trigger points have been tightened and are being closely monitored by the HR Advisor and HR Officers. From January 2019 staff members with three episodes of sick absence and/or 10 days sick absence in any rolling calendar year are invited to meet with their line manager and HR Officer to discuss their health and wellbeing and what support they might need to improve attendance;

Ø Following this meeting, cases are escalated under Amgueddfa Cymru’s Capability Procedure if there is no improvement in attendance over a specified period of time;

Ø A Wellbeing Group has been established with Managers and Trade Unions working in partnership to address wellbeing issues. Their work is currently focused on mental health issues and menopause awareness.

Ø Amgueddfa Cymru participated in the Mind Workplace Index. The Wellbeing Group will develop an action plan to address any areas for improvement when results are received (these are expected in March)

Ø Stress Awareness and Resilience workshops have been held at all museums

Ø Mental Health First Aid training is offered to staff

Ø Yoga sessions have been piloted at the museum

Ø Mental Health Awareness training for Managers is being arranged for Quarter 4

Ø We offer an Employee Assistance Programme for all staff which provides confidential information and counselling

Ø Staff with mental ill health are referred to DWP’s Able Futures for further support

Sickness days

Ø Days lost per employee for the 2017-18 financial year totalled 10.94 with 2.52 of these as a result of mental ill health.

Ø In the 2016-17 financial year, total days lost per employee as a result of sickness was 13.17 with 2.79 of these as a result of mental ill health.

Ø The absence rate for Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 for 2017-18 was 4.89%.

Ø The absence rate for Q3 2018-19 was 3.6%. This compares with 4.81% for the same period in the previous year.

The number of days available is calculated on the basis of individual work patterns, i.e. the number of working days per week (totalled for all staff) x the number of weeks in the quarter. The annual figure is the sum of the four quarters which gives the total number of available working days per annum. We do not adjust the figure for annual leave and public holidays. We use headcount as the basis for the calculation. Pool arrangements are not included in these calculations. The breakdown can be seen below.