Stress and Long Covid blamed for rising staff sickness at Kent County Council

Kent County Council workers are being encouraged to talk about any health concerns they are facing as figures reveal sickness levels at County Hall are on the rise.

The council which is based at County Hall, has a workforce of around 7,500 people.

It has seen an increase in the number of employees taking time off work for sickness from March 2021 to March 2022.

At KCC, the number of working days lost to sickness per year has risen from 5.99 days in March 2021 to 7.39 in March 2022.

Key reasons include feeling stressed, being ill with coronavirus and suffering from long Covid.

The findings were published as part of KCC's annual workforce review and ahead of a public debate next Tuesday (September 6).

KCC's cabinet member for communications, Cllr Bryan Sweetland (Con), has encouraged the county council workforce to come forward and talk to their senior colleagues about any personal issues they are facing.

He said: "I would encourage our staff to talk to their line managers, if they are feeling stressed."

Staff sickness, arising from Covid, has largely been experienced in care homes and with social workers.

Other issues raised by KCC workers are related to mental health and stress.

Around 5,000 KCC staff, amounting to two-thirds of the county council workforce, have continued to work amid the Covid pandemic.

Cllr Sweetland says the local authority is offering support to staff who are dealing with stress and anxiety in their lives.

The Gravesham Rural county councillor said: "We are listening and far more aware about mental health. We would like to encourage members of staff to talk to us about mental health."

National charities continue to offer public support, such as Mind, as millions of people are encouraged to have important conversations about mental health.

One campaign, Heads Together, is led by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with Prince Harry.

Cllr Sweetland added: "A lot of people are talking about mental health, which is a good thing.

"Well known celebrities have been quite open about it.

"Years ago people would not have talked about it, but more and more are now."

Kent county councillors will review the findings when they convene at Maidstone County Hall, on September 6, from 2pm.