Health authorities must aim for an absence rate of just four per cent, but last year in Lanarkshire the absence rate was 6.34 per cent.

However, none of the Scottish health boards were within the four per cent target.

Now Central Scotland list MSP Margaret Mitchell has asked health minister Nicola Sturgeon what action is being taken to address sickness absence rates among NHS workers.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The date for achieving the four per cent target is March 2009 and all boards have agreed to this.

"NHS Scotland has a range of progressive policies in place to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of its workforce and NHS boards are working with their staff to achieve sustained improvements in absence rates."

Mrs Mitchell was not impressed and said: "The four per cent target was set last year by the then Labour Government and not met by any of the 14 boards.

"The SNP Government has set exactly the same target for 2009. Given the colossal £63 million lost to the NHS through sickness absence, I am not convinced the Government is advocating any measures that have a realistic prospect of addressing the problem and recouping this money which could be invested in essential NHS services."

NHS Lanarkshire have blamed the fact that a lot of their staff live in Lanarkshire for the high figure, but say they are making progress.

A spokesman said: "Lanarkshire has higher rates of deprivation and disease prevelance than other areas of Scotland. As most of our staff are from Lanarkshire it is to be expected that this would have an impact on our level of sickness absence.

"We have a wide range of initiatives to help our staff stay healthy which we believe will help us reduce sickness absence levels.

"For example, staff have access to occupational health advice and assessment; psychological advice and counselling; workplace modification; return to work information; and health and safety advice. A new service will ensure staff get access to this support at the earliest opportunity when they are off ill.

"We have also introduced rapid access to physiotherapy to help staff back to work and staff have access to counselling with a 24-hour helpline for those dealing with illness, bereavement, emotional difficulties or debt."