NHS staff’s stress toll

Days off sick are mounting

NHS Lanarkshire has lost more than 160,000 working days over the past three years due to staff suffering stress.

An investigation by Scottish Labour revealed that, between 2015/16 and 2017/18, the total number of stress-led staff absences in the health board rocketed by over 15 per cent.

Across Scotland as a whole, the equivalent of more than one million work days have been lost during this period, “heaping further pressure on underresourced hospitals and health services”.

The figures show that 51,151 days were lost in Lanarkshire in 2015/ 16, 52,402 in 2016/ 17 and 58,857 in 2017/18. To date, 9353 days have been lost in 2018/19.

Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Monica Lennon MSP, said: “Stress- related absences in our NHS have rocketed in recent years, causing the equivalent of more than 160,000 days to be lost in Lanarkshire and one million days lost across the country.

“People working in NHS Lanarkshire are being pushed to the limit, often delivering high levels of care to the detriment of their own health and wellbeing.

“The SNP Government has created a staffing crisis in our health service, with more than 3000 nursing and midwifery posts lying unfilled.

“A crisis worsened by Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to cut the number of training posts whilst she was health secretary.

“Scottish Labour has listened to what people working in our health service say has to change and we are focused on making the NHS fit for the future.

“The SNP has created stress and anxiety for patients and staff but it was Labour who created the NHS and we will not accept this complacency from a tired and timid government.

“Ha rdworking and dedicated NHS staff deserve better than this.”

In response, John White, NHS Lanarkshire director of human resources, said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff is of paramount importance and we recognise that mental illness, both personal and work-related, is a significant reason for absence.

“It can be caused by a variety of life issues such as bereavement, relationship issues, and financial worries, and they can impact on anyone at any point in their life.

“As such, we have prioritised enhanced support for staff experiencing mental illhealth.

“We offer a vast range of support, including physical and mental health services, to help our staff to both remain in work and return to work.”