More than 3000 NHS staff in Scotland are off work on long-term sick leave.

And the government faced calls for an official inquiry yesterday after unions blamed overwork, bullying and violence.

New figures showed 3393 NHS Scotland staff were on sick leave for at least 28 days at the end of March – putting a huge strain onresources.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scotland’s biggest health board, had 975 workers on long-term leave.

There were 415 long-term absences in Lothian, 277 in Tayside and 275 in Grampian.

The Scottish Ambulance Service had 87 people absent for over a month. And NHS 24 – on the front-line dealing with swine flu inquiries – had 32 on long-term sick leave.

Read full article: The Daily Record.