Sick Leave / Mental Health
Where applicable, we publish responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This one, Sick Leave / Mental Health, is detailed below.
Other FOI's
WMFS OFFICIAL – NEW – FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST – FOI24154
Ref: FOI/24154
RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST
I am writing to confirm that the West Midlands Fire Service has now completed its search for the information you requested further to your Freedom of Information request.
Please find below a summary of our findings.
Request
1. In the last three years, how many members of staff have taken at least one day off work due to mental health? (Broken down by years: 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24)
1a) Can you provide a breakdown of specific mental health reasons/conditions for example, anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD, work-related stress? (Broken down by year)
Reply
Members of staff who have taken at least one day off work due to Mental health ill health
| Reason | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
| Anxiety | 48 | 35 | 44 |
| Bereavement | 12 | 30 | 25 |
| Chronic Fatigue | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Debility | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Depression | 23 | 14 | 15 |
| Fatigue | 9 | 15 | 9 |
| ME Post Viral Fatigue | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Post Traumatic Stress | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Stress | 80 | 77 | 108 |
| Work Related Stress | 12 | 16 | 21 |
| Total | 185 | 182 | 216 |
Please note, some members of staff had more than one absence due to mental ill health and the reason was different.
Some members of staff had at least one day off work due to mental ill health in more than one year, so these are not unique people.
Request
1b) Of those that had taken time off due to mental health, how many subsequently left the service? Broken down by year.
Reply
We are unable to provide an accurate yearly breakdown however the total number we have recorded is 108 of which 47% were due to ‘Retirement normal age’.
Request
2. Are you able to provide an estimated cost of absences (of any kind including for mental health) to the service in the last three years (Broken down by years: 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24)?
Reply
This information is exempt under Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as we do not hold this information.
If you have any queries about this Freedom of Information request, please contact us. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
For service complaints, issues or comments regarding this request please contact The Public Relations Department, West Midlands Fire Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, B7 4HW
Further information concerning Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner website at either the following link: https://ico.org.uk/ or at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.