Fewer sick days for North Wales Police staff

Dec 11 2008 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

NORTH Wales Police have reduced the number of days sick that officers take off work in a year.

In 2007/08 police officers averaged 63.7 hours off as opposed to 68.74 hours in 2006/07.

The Weekly News obtained the information through a Freedom of Information application.

Police claim the reduction of 7.3% is down to occupational health efficiency meetings and counselling aimed at reducing the level of short-term sickness.

A spokeswoman said the force had devised ways aimed at reducing sickness amongst staff: “North Wales Police have introduced a new health and wellbeing initiative and have given it the promotional title Lifestyle Matters.

“The force is taking positive steps to encourage and support all staff to attain the best positive levels of health and well-being.

“North Wales Police performance with regard to sickness management has been in the top quartile of the best performing forces over the last two years.”

However, former North Wales Police Federation secretary Phil Edwards believes the figures, which are equivalent to around a week and a half off sick, are largely down to the stress the job entails.

The Rhos-on-Sea county councillor believes support is now better in place to support staff who may have otherwise taken time off.

“When I was secretary of the police federation we did a survey and an awful lot of officers go off with stress-related illness,” he said.

“What we tried to do is get the force to recognise stress is real for an awful lot of people and put support in place to address that issue, which they did by expanding the occupational health service, they employed a doctor and looked at it seriously.

“I’m guessing the figures are much lower now than when I was secretary of the federation, as the support at the time was very little indeed.

“I’m hoping that support is still there to address that issue, because stress is a killer. I’m hoping that the facilities are still there to support these officers who do face very serious situations on a daily basis.”

richard.evans