(1) the organisation endorsing the absence policy by undertaking a series of absence workshops for line managers (2) centralisation of the management of absence within the service to ensure fair and consistency and ensuring that the organisation's trigger levels were being addressed as it was event that this was not happening within all the teams within the service (3) enhancing the support provided to line managers in dealing with absence (4) early intervention by line managers with staff on long term absence - this has proved invaluable and evidence proves that employees return to work quicker (5) creating a wellbeing action plan as part of the service's OD Strategy and identifying trends, becoming more proactive in supporting employees and trying to create the 'prevention rather than cure' approach. 

If you want to maintain a level of attendance, then getting the mechanics of the processes right, including the wording of letters is of paramount importance.

By highlighting the importance of robust absence protocols (literally getting managers to agree/communicate how people report themselves as sick absent, and also how they then remain in contact with the workplace): offering robust RTW interviews and ensuring that managers look to drill into any potential underlying reasons for absences. OH is useful to a point, and also we need to ensure that consistency of the application of the policy and also the management of the policy is key.

 Regular stats and reviews of cases also mean that I am constantly pushing this on the management agenda

We should be looking to encourage the employees back to work as much as possible, after all we've hired them for their skills/abilities and potential, so we need to harness this, surely?

The return to work interview should be universal after every absence, approached from a "welfare" point of view (at the outset), but with procedures for progressing toward performance/capability or disciplinary routes if shown to be appropriate.

it is far harder to lie to a manager face-to-face than over the phone, or through an intermediary

we have records of absence, interviews and similar treatment for other absentees in evidence

So forget the "blanket outcome" approaches to absence and develop your systematic procedures to find out what the reason or justification for it is first; then deal with that specific situation appropriately through the procedures most of us already have in place.