Bucks Council loses thousands of days of work to sicknesses with most common absence revealed

Mental health was the most common reason for long terms absences – 28 days or more – in the year to 30 September, accounting for 8,759 days lost.

The second highest reason for long term sickness absence was muscular skeletal issues, with 1,403 days lost, according to an update on the council’s workforce and sickness absence management.

The report was presented to a recent meeting of the council’s finance and resources select committee.

Councillor Michael Bracken told the meeting: “It just bothers me that we are still in a position where our sickness levels are as high as they are.

“I accept that the unitary council benchmarks may be even worse than us, but I don’t take great comfort from that. I would expect our council to operate at the better end.”

Mental health-related absences were the highest reason for long term absences across all council departments, according to the report.

Overall data shows there were 8,682 days lost in October 2023, before a peak for the year of 9,648 in June 2024 and then a gradual decline to 8,759 in September 2024.

The council, which has 4,441 employees, has introduced several strategies for reducing absences, including training managers to ‘give them the confidence to take early interventions with attendance issues’ and holding ‘health and attendance surgeries’ to further support managers.

A Government report released in February also found that mental health was the main reason people were taking sick days across the country.