Concerns raised as majority of Derry & Strabane Council staff absences due to mental health
A Derry City and Strabane District Council member has voiced concern that the “vast majority” of staff absences last year were due to poor mental health.
During January’s Assurance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting, members were asked to endorse Council’s Annual Audit Letter for the financial year 2024/25, which included a breakdown of staff absences within council until March 2025.
The letter noted that while the average number of sick days per full time employee in 2024/25 had seen a slight reduction from the 2023/24 year, from 18.7 to 18.2, mental ill health remains the primary reason for the majority of absences.
Derry City & Strabane District Council had 924 full-time equivalent employees in 2024-25, an increase of 24 FTEs on the previous year.
While there was a rise in average short term absences from 2 days the year before to 2.6 days in 2024-25, long-term sickness rates fell slightly from an average of 16.7 days in 2023-24 to 15.5 days in 2024-25.
The report also noted that the council is “continuing to address sickness absence through various initiatives and processes, including regular Occupational Health intervention”.
It also states: “The Local Government Auditor recommends that Council carefully monitors and manages absence levels on a continuous basis to improve operational efficiency and reduce lost productivity.”
Sinn Féin councillor Amanda Clarke said that, having worked in the field of mental health for many years, she was concerned that the “vast majority of sickness” within the council was due to poor mental health.
She added: “I would like to think that there would be protocols set in place to help people to deal with their mental health issues around the work setting.
“I know it’s hard, but it’s something that I would be concerned about.”
Chief Executive, John Kelpie, said council has a range of health and wellbeing supports for staff, for physical health and “especially in the last number of years with relation to mental health”.
Mr Kelpie told members that a report would be returned to members at a future meeting outlining the staff supports that are currently in place within Derry City & Strabane District Council.