Version No:

1

OG Status:

Fully open

Author Section:

Public Services Sector

Issue Date:

24.02.09

Review Date:

24.02.13

To:

FOD Inspectors

Summary

To inform inspectors of the planned stress work in the public services sector for 2009/2010. This will focus on assessing the progress made by selected Public Sector organisations to proactively manage the risk of work-related stress.

Aim

Work on stress in Public Sector organisations will continue in the same format as the previous two years (i.e. PSP1 inspections using the inspection tool and aide memoire) as outlined in PSP SIM 07/2007/05 and PSP SIM 07/2008/02. Work will concentrate on follow-up inspections to organisations where initial contact has already been made to assess progress, rather than starting new interventions. Continuing this work for a third year will allow HSE to gather data on any impact that implementing a stress management system is having on organisations and also provide additional feedback on the effectiveness of the inspection programme.

Justification

Within the Public Services sector, a high proportion of sickness absence is attributed to work-related stress. Statistics (from HSE’s Self-reported Work-related Ill Health surveys (SWI)) show that sickness absence is particularly high in the sector.  60% of all work-related sickness absence in the sector is due to stress, depression or anxiety, compared to an all-industry average of 39%. Work-related stress in the sector resulted in 1.8 million days lost during 2006/07. This was an increase from the previous year.

The average days lost per worker in this sector as a result of stress in 2006/07 was 1.09 which translates to the following figures when multiplied across a whole organisation.

• 1000 employees = 1090 lost days per year
• 4000 employees = 4360 lost days per year

Many Public Sector organisations will therefore be losing hundreds or thousands of working days each year.

Audience / Industry

Target sectors: Education (Further and Higher), Health and Local Government.

It is proposed that inspections concentrate on follow-up inspections to organisations where initial contact has already been made as part of the PSP1 project, to assess organisational progress. The selection of the organisations to revisit is at local discretion.

Messages

To encourage Public Sector organisations in Education, Health and Local Government, to improve employee health and wellbeing and achieve a reduction in the incidence of ill health due to work-related stress through preventive management action, using the Management Standards or an equivalent approach.

Activities required

For 2009/10, FOD are requested to continue with stress work in the same format as the previous two years (i.e. PSP1 inspections using the inspection tool and aide memoire) as outlined in PSP SIM 07/2007/05 and SIM 07/2008/02. The selection of the organisations to revisit is at local discretion.

As in the two previous years, visits provide an opportunity to address other significant health and safety risks common to these sectors. Contrary to previous years, there is no longer a requirement for inspectors to assess organisational policies and practice with regards to managing sickness absence and return to work (MSA/RTW)

Fewer inspectors will be involved in the work than in the previous 2 years. Two networking events will be held for nominated inspectors (the first is scheduled for 29 April) and an online community is planned to enable better sharing of ideas/learning etc.

Timing

All year.

For information

• Stress Topic Inspection Pack [211KB]
• HSG218: Managing the causes of work-related stress – A step-by-step approach using the Management Standards, priced publication.
• Stress web pages

Diversity

Inspectors should be aware of who (in terms of diversity e.g. men, women, disabled etc) is the target group in the sector they are dealing with. Give consideration to, and factor into the approach, any issues that may surround this audience such as literacy issues, English as a second language and disability (access needs).

The Diversity pages give more information on these areas.

Contact

Allison Spears, Health Unit, Edinburgh.