See answers to previous information requests

1. The total number of sickness days for each year.
a) 2024/25: 9699.64
b) 2023/24: 8781.62
c) 2022/23: 9757.84

2. The total number of long term sickness days for each year.
a) 2024/25: 6315
b) 2023/24: 3185
c) 2022/23: 3412

3. The average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee for each year.
a) 2024/25: 7.20
b) 2023/24: 6.67
c) 2022/23: 7.27

4. The total cost of sickness days for each year.
a) 2024/25: we do not report on this
b) 2023/24: we do not report on this
c) 2022/23: we do not report on this

5. The total cost of long term sickness days for each year.
a) 2024/25: we do not report on this
b) 2023/24: we do not report on this
c) 2022/23: we do not report on this

6. The number of employees on long term sickness at any point in each year.
This has been provided as the number of start on long term sick for April of each financial year.
a) 2024/25: 9
b) 2023/24: 6
c) 2022/23: 6

7. A breakdown of sickness days by reason for each year. For example: mental ill-health, musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, etc. I understand that your council may categorise reasons differently, please use whichever ones your HR system collects.
a) 2024/25:
Reason for absence
Back & Neck Problems: 4.2%
Coronavirus: 2.5%
Eye, ear & nose complaints: 3.0%
Gynaecology: 2.0%
Headache: 2.6%
Heart problems: 3.5%
Neurological: 3.0%
No reason given: 6.9%
Pregnancy-related: 1.1%
Specific Viral/bacterial Infection: 2.1%
Stomach ailments: 7.0%
Viral infection: 9.6%
Menopausal Symptoms: 1.7%
Stress: 20.4%
Covid Vaccination: 0.1%
Muscular-skeletal: 9.4%
Long Covid: 0.3%
Oncology/gland/blood: 5.3%
Mental health conditions: 7.4%
Dental: 0.8%
Chest Problems: 5.9%
Skin complaint: 0.3%
Genito-urinary: 0.6%
Industrial injury or work related incident: 0.3%
Grand Total: 100.0%
b) 2023/24:
Reason for absence
Back & Neck Problems: 3.7%
Coronavirus: 2.9%
Eye, ear & nose complaints: 2.0%
Gynaecology: 3.0%
Headache: 2.9%
Heart problems: 3.6%
Neurological: 7.6%
No reason given: 5.1%
Pregnancy-related: 1.0%
Specific Viral/bacterial Infection: 2.8%
Stomach ailments: 9.0%
Viral infection: 10.2%
Menopausal Symptoms: 0.3%
Stress: 15.1%
Covid Vaccination: 0.0%
Muscular-skeletal: 9.4%
Long Covid: 0.5%
Oncology/gland/blood: 3.2%
Mental health conditions: 10.4%
Dental: 0.4%
Chest Problems: 3.8%
Skin complaint: 2.6%
Genito-urinary: 0.3%
Grand Total: 100.0%
c) 2022/23:
Reason for absence
Back & Neck Problems: 5.2%
Coronavirus: 8.0%
Eye, ear & nose complaints: 1.5%
Gynaecology: 2.3%
Headache: 4.0%
Heart problems: 1.7%
Neurological: 4.3%
No reason given: 4.9%
Pregnancy-related: 1.4%
Specific Viral/bacterial Infection: 2.1%
Stomach ailments: 5.4%
Viral infection: 10.4%
Menopausal Symptoms: 0.3%
Stress: 18.3%
Covid Vaccination: 0.2%
Muscular-skeletal: 6.2%
Long Covid: 2.2%
Oncology/gland/blood: 4.5%
Mental health conditions: 12.6%
Dental: 0.5%
Chest Problems: 3.0%
Skin complaint: 0.7%
Genito-urinary: 0.2%
Grand Total: 100.0%

8. A breakdown of sickness days by department for each year, for example: communications, legal, finance, planning, adult social care, etc. I understand that your council may be organised differently, please use whichever categories your HR system uses. Please provide me with the percentage of employees on long term sickness, the average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee and the percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days.
Please note that Mental Health Conditions and Stress are recorded as two separate entries. The below entries for iii. is for MHC only.
a) 2024/25:
Department – Adult Social Care
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 3.2%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 7.48
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 10.15%

Department – Chief Executive
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 6.5%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 8.38
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 13.75%

Department – Children’s Services
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 2.0%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 7.03
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 5.79%

Department – Place and Growth
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 6.1%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 5.72
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 6.80%

Department – Resources and Assets
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 9.7%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 8.30
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 0.96%

b) 2023/24:
Department – Adult Social Care
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 2.7%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 6.81
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 21.26%

Department – Chief Executive
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 4.4%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 6.74
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 5.51%

Department – Children’s Services
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 3.0%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 7.55
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 7.36%

Department – Place and Growth
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 2.5%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 4.33
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 1.04%

Department – Resources and Assets
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 5.1%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 8.21
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 2.20%

c) 2022/23:
Department - Adult Social Care
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 0.8%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 10.69
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 19.63%

Department – Chief Executive
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 1.9%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 6.72
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 15.94%

Department – Children’s Services
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 3.8%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 8.41
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 0.16%

Department – Place and Growth
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 2.1%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 6.39
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 10.07%

Department – Resources and Assets
i. Percentage of employees on long term sickness: 6.4%
ii. Average number of sickness days per full time equivalent employee: 4.59
iii. Percentage of working days lost due to mental health sickness days: 2.45%