Wolverhampton Council staff average 11.4 days off sick

Council staff in Wolverhampton each took on average of 11.4 days sick last year - the equivalent of 199 years over the entire workforce - according to latest figures.

The figures doe 2009/10 are only a slight drop on the average for the previous year when an average of 11.6 days were lost by each worker.

A total of 6,400 people work for the authority in posts outside of schools meaning the council lost the equivalent of 199 years to sickness.

The average sick day in the private sector is seven days off per person compared with an average of 10.6 in the public sector.

The high rate of sickness comes despite numerous measures put forward to keep it under control.

Councillor Joan Stevenson, who is in charge of human resources for the council, said: "We are doing everything we can but we accept that it is still not good enough."

Last year the council announced plans to spend £50,000 on consultants to upgrade its computer system so it could improve how it monitors staff sickness.

The existing computer system in its human resources department has less than three years of operational life left.

Seven staff were sacked last year for taking too many sick days and the council considered setting up a nurse-led hotline for people to talk to a medical professional but the scheme has not gone ahead.

The council has also set aside £125,000 for psychologists and professional therapists to help stressed out workers over the next three years.

Council staff would be sent to see the therapists as and when their bosses decided it was necessary.

The service is being provided by Wolverhampton firm Lewis Psychology, based in Tettenhall Road. It was handed the three year contract in April.

It comes despite £27 million of cuts made this year and last and a further £70m of savings to come over the next six years.

Council workers in the Cannock Chase district are the worst in the Midlands for sickness with an average of 13 lost days per person last year.