Sick days at Carlisle City Council on the rise - with mental health the biggest cause

Authority-wide compared to the same period of the previous year, 2018/19 saw sickness levels increase by a quarter.

If the trend continues, this would see sickness levels for this year rise to the highest level since 2014/15.

Stress, depression, and fatigue symptoms accounted for 1,065 lost days – more than a quarter of all sickness cases.

The surge in sick days per employee has been put down to an increase in the number of long-term absences when compared with the same period in the previous year.

The report is to be considered by the Business and Transformation Scrutiny Panel tomorrow.

Members of the panel have been asked to scrutinise and comment on the findings.

According to the report, the city council continues to work “closely and proactively” to manage sickness levels among staff members.

The authority has launched several initiatives to tackle the crisis including counselling services, mental health training for managers, flu vaccinations and yoga.

The report shows there were 7.9 days lost per full-time employee up to December, split between long and short-term sickness. Long-term sickness is defined as any absence more than four working weeks.

Long term sickness:

*Days lost – 2,214

*Days lost per full time employee – 5.3

Short-term sickness

*Days lost – 1,090

*Days lost per full time employee – 2.6

Total sickness days:

*Days lost – 3,304

*Number of instances of sickness – 409

*Days lost per full time employee – 7.9.

The figures show that out of 404 full-time equivalent employees the council lost 2,972 days in 2015/16 with 58 per cent of those being long-term sick.

The number of days lost in 2016/17 decreased to 2,165 with 47 per cent of those being classed as long-term.

The following year 2,666 days were lost to sickness with long term sickness counting for 61 per cent.

For the latest year, 3,304 days were lost, 67 per cent for long-term sickness.