After an 18-month review NHS employers and trade unions have put forward ideas for managing sickness absence for consultation.

These include a two-tier payment system for ill health retirement, with lower payments for those who are likely to be able to find alternative work; support for staff who are off sick, including phased return, redeployment and access to therapies; charging employers for the cost of ill health retirement, and defining the role of the line manager in handling absence.

NHS Employers’ ill health review project manager Jeremy Orr said: “These proposals are a good deal for NHS staff, NHS employers and tax payers, as they mitigate the risk of unnecessary and premature ill health retirements.”

Richard Parker, staff side chair for the review, said: “Many staff would prefer the option to keep working. This is about preventing staff sickness and injury, and supporting staff to continue working, either part-time or by changing their role.”