Liverpool social workers took 78 years off sick in just nine months

SOCIAL services workers in Liverpool took a total of 78 years off work sick in just the first nine months of 2009. Staff sickness totalled 28,727 days off between January and September, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted to Liverpool council.

That was 12.7 days per staff member in the department.

If the trends continue, staff will hit 17 days off each by Christmas, compared with the national average of just 6.4 days per private sector employee and 9.7 days for those in the public sector.

A council spokes-man said: “Social work is an extremely demanding, high pressure and challenging job.

“We are working hard to support our staff and launched special drop-in clinics where any employee can get advice.”