Mental health sick days taken by Shropshire firefighters on the rise
The number of sick days taken by firefighters in Shropshire due to mental health problems has been on the increase since 2014, with union bosses stressing more support is needed.
Apart from an anomaly in 2017/18, time taken away from the job by members of Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service has been increasing, with the most recent figure for 2018/19 almost reaching peak levels seen in 2016/17.
The total number of days taken off by firefighters struggling with stress, anxiety and depression rose from 217 in 2014/15 to 304 the following year. It then increased again, peaking at 423 days in 2016/17 before falling to 263 in 2017/18, but almost hit peak levels again in 2018/19 at 399 days.
The Fire Brigades Union said the figures in Shropshire showed just a fraction of those who felt comfortable disclosing their struggles, and that cuts over the last decade meant they were being asked to do more with fewer resources.
Andrew Scattergood, FBU West Midlands regional secretary, said: “Firefighting is difficult work that can take a serious toll on a firefighter’s physical and mental health, but that impact is not yet well enough understood.
“These figures will only reflect those who are comfortable disclosing their distress to their employer, which could be just a fraction of those affected.
Terrible
“It is no secret that firefighters encounter death and terrible, graphic incidents far more often than other professions. A decade of cuts has put firefighters under greater pressure, increasing the daily stresses of the job.
“Strong welfare provisions and an understanding environment are the crucial first steps to tackling the stigma, but far more needs to be done to ensure firefighters have the support they need.”
The figures, obtained by a Freedom of Information request, also show the number of firefighters disclosing their mental health problems doubled from seven in 2017/18 to 14 the following year.
It was a similar story for West Midlands Fire Service, which saw the number of firefighters taking time off with mental health problems rise from 3,125 in 2016 to 5,040 in 2018.
It fell to 4,151 last year but it is already on course to beat that total in 2020. Up to July this year there had been 3,247 mental health sick days.
The trend continued at Staffordshire Fire Service where mental health sick days rose every year from 2016 to 2019, from 622 to 1,134. There were 494 in 2020, as of June.
