Warwickshire County Council is reporting a mixed picture on staff wellbeing, with overall sickness levels beginning to stabilise while absences linked to mental health continue their persistent rise.
A Stabilising Trend with a Concerning Undercurrent
Recent data shows a slight decrease in the rolling annual average of sick days, which now stands at 10.53 days per full-time employee as of the end of September 2025. This marks a small improvement from the peak of 10.62 days recorded over the previous two-year period, during which the average jumped significantly from 8.99 days.
This stabilisation is reflected in monthly data, which reveals a downward trend across several key directorates, including communities, children and young people, resources, and social care. The council's own quarterly report also notes that the percentage of employees with no recorded absence in the past year is increasing.
The Growing Toll of Mental Health
Despite the positive overall trend, a deeper look at the figures reveals a serious and growing challenge. Stress and mental health-related issues are now the dominant cause of staff absence, accounting for over a third of all working days lost.
This equates to an average of 3.80 days lost per full-time employee due to mental wellbeing, a figure that continues to climb gradually. Based on the current staff headcount, this means more than 16,800 days are lost each year solely to stress and mental health concerns.
Council Response and Future Priorities
The issue, frequently raised by the previous Conservative-led administration, has prompted a range of interventions from senior staff. These measures include case conferences with the council's occupational health provider, a focus on long-term cases lasting over nine months, and the introduction of a dedicated stress and mental health inspections approach within services.
In February 2025, Chief Executive Monica Fogarty acknowledged that the council needed to do more than just monitor the situation, stating they "can't just accept this level any longer."
Rob Powell, the Executive Director for Resources, expressed confidence in the progress. He stated that the stabilised absence levels "should reduce following resolution of a significant number of longstanding cases which is releasing manager capacity to focus on the early stages of absence."
The latest performance report, set for review by councillors, concludes that while improvements are encouraging, sustained progress will require time and consistent implementation of the council's attendance action plan, with mental health remaining an ongoing priority.
