Leeds Council staff take 47,000 days off for mental health illness

Councillors heard how more than 47,000 staff days lost to illness last year were taken off for mental health conditions alone, and that the number had increased slightly from 2018.

Interestingly, a report into the issue did not indicate the total number of sick days taken by staff, but did state an average of 9.76 sick days, per full time equivalent, were taken in the 12 months up to September 2019. This figure rises to 10.94 when excluding school staff.

The report claimed 47,094 days were taken due to mental health conditions, while musculo-skeletal disorders accounted for 25,938 days and heart/blood pressure conditions accounted for 5,038.

During a meeting of the council’s strategy scrutiny board, Coun Diane Chapman (Lab) asked why there was no total number of sick days taken by staff listed in the report. An officer responded that the three categories listed were the “main areas” for type of sick day.

The report, entitled “Culture and An Efficient, Enterprising and Healthy Organisation”, added that council workplaces had introduced a ‘twice yearly well-being conversation’ between employees and their managers.

It stated: “As part of our efforts to address sickness levels, the council’s health, safety and well-being strategy has been extended until 2021.

“This centres on four themes which are choice, responsibility, understanding and confidence. In 2020 the supporting staff at work framework is due to be introduced which includes a twice yearly well-being conversation between an employee and their manager and also the introduction of disability and carers’ passports.

“Mental Health first aid training has been rolled out and the organisation now has over 650 qualified mental health first aiders.

“Service areas with high absence rates have action plans in place and are supported by Human Resources colleagues. An early referral process for physiotherapy or counselling support for employees off with either musculo-skeletal disorders or mental health absences is being trialled in services including Leeds building services, parks and countryside, the contact centre and waste management with an interim evaluation of its impact due to take place in January 2020.”