NHS trust tells sick doctors they may be putting their careers at risk

• Resident doctors at Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust were warned in an email that taking too much sick leave could negatively impact their future job prospects.
• The email advised medics with cold symptoms to wear masks instead of calling in sick and revealed that the trust had withdrawn job offers due to unsatisfactory sickness records.
• Dr Matt Church from the HSCA union criticised the email as an "outrageous attempt to bully sick doctors into work", arguing it would increase sickness rates and compromise patient safety.
• The trust's sickness rate in December stood at 7.4 per cent, exceeding the 5.9 per cent average across NHS organisations in England.
• Rafik Bedair, Northern Care Alliance's Chief Medical Officer, said that the trust's approach to sickness is compassionate and supports staff, adding that sickness information in employment references is standard across the NHS.

IN FULL

Resident doctors warned they may not get jobs if they take too much sick leave