Staffordshire firefighters' days off sick up by 30 per cent
The number of sick days taken by Staffordshire firefighters has increased by a third in 12 months – despite an NHS troubleshooter being brought in to tackle the problem.
Figures have revealed that the 318 firefighters were off for 2,468 days in 2014/2015 – 615 more than the year before when there were 327 full-time firefighters.
The amount of days missed due to stress also increased to 324 from 289 over the two years.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service have blamed the figures on a small number of staff who have been off long-term.
Absence was flagged up as a major problem in 2013 after a substantial rise in workers calling in sick.
The 1,654 days missed in 2011/2012 jumped by 25 per cent to 2,094 the year after.
And time off for stress more than doubled from 129 days to 363 in the period.
As a result the service brought in a 'health and wellbeing coordinator' from the NHS and established health 'champions' within departments to encourage staff to exercise more and look after their health.
Sickness days fell by 241 to 1,853 in 2013/2014 while those put down to stress also fell by 74 to 289.
But now both figures have risen again in 12 months.
Sue Wilkinson, human resources manager, said: "Staffordshire has one of the best attendance records among fire and rescue services in the country.
"We have a small number of staff on longer term absence, due to which has resulted in a slight increase.
"We take the health and wellbeing of our whole-time and retained firefighters extremely seriously and have a dedicated occupational health team which provides specialist services such as physiotherapy.
"We also have a health and wellbeing strategy in place which is looking proactively at ways to support our crews and improve and maintain health and fitness."
The figures, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, also showed that in the last three years absence had also increased among the retained firefighter crew – who do no attend the station on a daily basis and may have other jobs but are called upon during emergencies.
From 2012/2013 to 2013/2014 the number of sickness days rose from 5,845 to 6,274. It increased again to 6,881 last year.
Absence recorded as stress has fluctuated in the period.
It shot up dramatically from 464 days to 1,349 days from 2012/2013 to 2013/2014 but decreased last year to 1,002.
