Scotland's prison service is facing a 'ticking time bomb' due to a record number of staff going off sick. Over 65,000 working days were lost in the first 10 months of 2024, with staff citing exhaustion and musculoskeletal injuries.
SCOTLAND ’S prison service faces a “ticking time bomb” with a record number of staff going off sick. In the first 10 months of last year, more than 65,000 working days were lost due to illness with staff “tired and broken”. Phil Fairlie, assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers Association, said: “Next to mental health issues, the next most significant reason for staff absence is musculoskeletal injuries, in an ageing, overworked and overtired workforce.
“They have been patrolling the galleries, breaking up fights, taking punches and kicks and running up and down stairs in response to alarms for decades. “They are tired and some are broken. To expect prison officers to operate in that environment well into their 60s is madness and government needs to address this. “It is a ticking time bomb for our prisons and a genuine risk to the prisons’ ability to continue to function effectively.” In the first 10 months of 2024 there were 65,719 working days lost to sickness among Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) 4900 staff. That compares with 47,152 absences in 2015. Last year’s total to October exceeds the 62,033 sick days in 2020 and is on course to pass the 71,364 lost in 2023. Last month, it was reported more than 250 staff are attacked every year. Fairlie added: “Our members are working in overcrowded, volatile and challenging circumstances over a prolonged period of time and it is taking its toll. The overcrowding and increase in violence is clearly a factor but it is only a part of the story. “Ironically, with such high sick numbers we are dependent on more and more staff working longer hours and doing significant amounts of overtime, just to keep the prisons functioning.” The jail with the most sick days last year was Barlinnie in Glasgow with 9125 in the first 10 months. Second was Glenochil with 8459 then HMP Edinburgh at 693
Prison Staff Sickness Overwork Scotland Prison Service
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