59% of business leaders report staff absence due to public service issues – Scottish Business News

Almost 6 in 10 (59%) business leaders say workers have had to take time off work in the past year because of problems accessing public services, according to a new TUC poll published today ( Monday).

A survey of more than 500 business leaders shows that they say employees are absent because of the following public service pressures:

• I am waiting for hospital treatment (35%)
• Caring for a relative who did not have adequate social care for the elderly (20%)
• We are waiting for mental health care (17%)
• Unable to get proper childcare (17%)
• Caring for a child with special educational needs (16%)
• Waiting for work visa to be processed (13%)

The TUC says these responses reflect the toxic legacy inherited from the Conservatives by the new government.

This legacy includes NHS waiting times, shortages in mental health provision, childcare deserts where provision is scarce, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff in many public services, and places fewer schools for children with special educational needs.

The trade union calls on the government to fix the foundations of the economy by fixing our public services so that working days and productivity are no longer lost due to these problems.

Business support for improving public services

Today’s survey shows how dependent businesses are on public services, and that they see improvements as a priority for the government:

• More than 9 in 10 (94%) say high-quality public services are important to economic success
• Almost 8 in 10 (81%) say high-quality social services are important to the success of their business
• Almost 9 in 10 (89%) say improving public services should be a priority for the government

The survey found the majority of business leaders who say innovation will benefit their business in the following areas:

• A major strength of the NHS is that medical appointments and treatments can be accessed quickly (69%).
• High quality schools so that most students entering the school have high levels of basic skills related to my business (66%).
• Extensive public transport network with frequent services (65%).
• Better funded industry executives (63%)
• Greater availability of affordable childcare for working parents (60%)
• Greater investment in public areas (60%)

Call for action on a budget

The TUC welcomes the Labor government’s commitment to solving the recruitment and retention problem across our public sector, including funding to recruit 6,500 more teachers to address the shortage affecting many schools.

The union calls for more action to be taken in the investment budget to repair public services and improve public services, as well as measures to improve public services by:

• Public Sector Personnel Commission to address key challenges facing public sector workers, and to advise the government to drive reforms and deliver services as effectively as possible.

• Setting fair wages in the public sectorincluding the reform of wage review institutions to improve worker representation, transparency, timeliness and political independence.
• Proper taxesso that those who make their income from wealth rather than from work can contribute fairly to the financial development of our public services.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “A country with good public services is a good place to do business. You have a healthy and experienced workforce, travel is fast and reliable, and your employees can get the care services they and their families need.

But the Conservatives have left our public services in total disrepair. Our poll shows that more than half of businesses report losing employees’ time because they have problems accessing essential public services.

“This has a huge impact on working people, companies and the economy.

“It is time to fix the foundations of our economy – and that means fixing our public services. The Chancellor already knows how desperate people are for the end of NHS waiting lists, and access to affordable childcare and decent schools.

“He clearly has the green light from business to prioritize public service.”