Stress highlighted as major factor in sickness absence at West Lothian Council

Edinburgh Reporter

5 days ago

Stress has been highlighted as a major factor in a continued rise in sickness absence at West Lothian Council.
More than 1,000 employees were off long term, councillors heard.
The services hit most by absence, both long and short term, are Education, Housing, Customer and Building Services and Operational Services.
The fewest absences were in the Planning, Economic Development and Regeneration team.
In a report to the Corporate Policy and Resources PDSP committee Claire Wallace, HR Services Manager, said: 'Absence rates for the Council in 2024/25 have seen an increase in comparison to 2023/24.
'Stress continues to be the highest contributor to levels of sickness absence across the council and the focus will continue to be on targeting support at those service areas reporting high levels of stress related absence.'
Long term absence accounted for 66% of sick days in Education last year, with 502 employees off for more than four weeks.
In Housing, Customer and Building Services the numbers off long term last year were 182 and in Operational Services, which includes waste services, it was 450.
The committee heard that mental and behavioural reasons accounted for a third of all days- 43,826- lost to sickness absence last year.
Musculoskeletal is the next biggest reason for absences followed by Infection and accident.
Following an established pattern personal stress accounted for the largest single number of days lost, followed by workplace stress and anxiety.
The Corporate Policy and Resources PDSP heard that the council's occupational health service provision is currently out for tender with a provider set to be named in the Autumn.
SNP group leader, Councillor Janet Campbell asked : 'In terms of long-term sickness rates for stress, both personal and workplace, what steps do we take as an employer to support staff who experience these illnesses?
Ms Wallace said: 'We have a strategy which looks at the four pillars of well-being one of those in mental well-being and underneath that pillar there's a ranges of resources available including things such the employee assistance programme which is access to confidential counselling service but also advice on other factors that might be causing the stress such as financial, family or relationship issues.
'In some services we have deployed the Health and Safety Executive's Stress Toolkit to carry out stress audits we did recently in one service and plan to carry it out in others.'
Ms Wallace said Human Resources could also signpost staff to mental health support groups.
The report to committee detailed: 'Since 1 November 2018, a telephone-based counselling service (Help EAP) has been in operation provided by our occupational health provider, Optima Health.
Statistics from the last quarter of 2024/25- January to 1 April this year- show that 57 employees received mental health assessments during this period.
Of the 57 assessed, 35 employees were referred for counselling services, four signposted to GP/NHS, one for legal services, two for voluntary/private services and 15 employees were provided onward referral and guidance.
Of the 35 employees who were referred for counselling, 17 received structured telephone counselling sessions, 10 provided with video counselling sessions and 8 provided with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
The report added: 'Contact reasons indicate that 15% of calls in Quarter 4 were in relation to solely work-related issues, 45% in relation to personal issues only and 38% due to a combination of work and personal related issues.'
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
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