Hospital Trust Warns Resident Doctors That Sick Leave Could Jeopardise Future Employment
A major hospital trust has issued a stark warning to its resident doctors, revealing that taking too much sick leave could potentially cost them future job opportunities. The Independent has obtained an email sent to staff at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust, which operates four main hospitals in Manchester, advising medics to wear masks if they have cold symptoms rather than calling in sick.
Email Reveals Job Offers Withdrawn Over Sickness Records
The email, sent by the trust's director of general and specialist medicine on 17 March, explicitly stated that sickness records form part of employment references when applying for future positions. The director cautioned that "no one wants to have a reputation for being unreliable and not turning up" and revealed that the trust had recently withdrawn one conditional job offer and nearly withdrawn two others due to unsatisfactory sickness records.
According to the communication, if an applicant has had "several sick days in a single year," this may signal to employers that they represent a risk. The email acknowledged that being on call "is difficult" but advised medics feeling anxious about shifts that there were "lots of ways to handle those feelings," suggesting that "anxiety can be worse when we avoid our responsibilities."
Union Condemns "Outrageous Attempt to Bully Sick Doctors"
Dr Matt Church, chair of the resident doctors' committee for the HSCA union, strongly condemned the email, describing it as "an outrageous attempt to bully sick doctors into work." He warned that such threats would likely drive up sickness rates rather than reduce them.
"It's disturbing to see an employer show such contempt, potentially further damaging the health of the doctor and risking patients," Dr Church stated. "Doctors are already demoralised and burnt out. Menacing language about the future career prospects of people suffering from ill health really is a new low."
Dr Church added that the email had "echoes of the callous disregard" shown toward health and safety during the Covid pandemic, when staff were sent to work with substandard personal protective equipment. He emphasised that sick doctors cannot deliver safe care and that employers have a health and safety duty that must be strictly applied in hospital environments.
Wider Context of NHS Unrest and Strike Action
This revelation comes amid broader unrest among resident doctors across the National Health Service, with a fresh round of strike action planned for six days beginning 7 April. The British Medical Association is engaged in an ongoing dispute with the government regarding pay and working conditions.
According to Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust, its sickness rate for December was 7.4 percent, significantly above the 5.9 percent average across NHS organisations in England overall. The email acknowledged that it had been a "rough few months, and not over yet, with winter viruses," but noted that on-call staff sickness rates had improved since October.
Trust Defends Approach as Rooted in Care and Compassion
In response to the controversy, Northern Care Alliance's chief medical officer, Rafik Bedair, defended the trust's approach to sickness management. He stated that their approach was "rooted in care and compassion" and that they "support staff to recover properly so they can provide safe, high-quality care."
"Our leaders consistently look for ways to support colleagues, including our resident doctors who do an incredibly difficult and important job," Bedair added. "We also know attendance matters for patient safety, which is why we work with teams to prevent avoidable sickness and support anyone experiencing anxiety or other well-being concerns."
Bedair confirmed that sickness information is included in employment references across the NHS but asserted that this is "handled sensitively and in line with national guidance." The trust maintains that their primary concern is ensuring patient safety while supporting staff wellbeing, though critics argue the email represents a concerning approach to managing healthcare workforce challenges.
