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Written question asked by Jenny Willott (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 30 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 July 2008. It was answered by Derek Twigg (Labour) on Monday, 1 September 2008 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Departmental Sick Leave

Question
(2) what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility who gave mental health and behavioural disorders as the reason for their absence was in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement;
Answer

The Department reports absences listed for mental health and behavioural disorders against the standard ICD 10 Code—Mental and Behavioural Disorders (PSD).Data for staff in the Ministry of Defence is listed in the following table.

Sick days recorded against ICD 10: Mental Health and Behavioural Disorders (PSD)
Personnel Total working days lost
12 months ending Number Percentage Average days duration Number Percentage
31 December 2005 3,920 5.0 22.1 134,670 18.3
31 December 2006 3,980 5.3 21.9 128,030 19.4
31 December 2007 3,830 5.4 22.5 124,950 19.9
31 March 2008 3,770 5.4 22.4 122,440 20.4
Notes:
1. Data excludes staff in Trading Funds, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and Locally Engaged Civilians for whom sickness absence data is not readily available.
2. Data presented reflects the current Cabinet Office definition, setting a maximum absence of 225 days per person in any one year, and excludes absence days that occurred on weekends, annual leave and bank holidays.
3. Totals have been rounded to the nearest 10, totals and sub totals have been rounded separately and so may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.
4. The percentage of working days lost is calculated as a percentage of the total working days lost due to sickness absence.

Information prior to calendar year 2005 is compiled on a previous definition for monitoring sickness absence which is not consistent with figures for calendar year 2005 onwards.Data for the Ministry of Defence’s agencies and non-departmental bodies is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Mental health and behavioural disorders such as anxiety and depression are often stress-related and MOD classifies all such absences under the same code. MOD is committed to protecting the health, safety and well-being of its employees and has a number of procedures in place to reduce stress at work.A stress management framework, based on the Health and Safety Executive’s management standards, is available to all employees and gives easy to use advice on the successful prevention, recognition and management of stress at work. Online health promotion material on stress avoidance techniques is also available.It is also MOD policy to seek the early advice of occupational health professionals in cases of sick absence due to stress-related illnesses.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
479 c1461-2W; 216093
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Ministry of Defence Sick leave
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk