Self employed . Somebody told me this morning who is Self Employed but Self Employed never go off sick, they cant afford it. Is that you or a myth . Looking at the texts, some are saying it is freeloading, it is chancing your arm. There are multiple reasons, Mental Health, stress, Cost Of Living Crisis, covid, long covid, which can be devastating. Ill be too quick to go on the say . Get in touch. Are we too sick . Nick hatfield has the news. Workers in the uk are estimated to be taking more sick days than at any point in the last decade. The Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development stress, Cost Of Living pressures on my a Hospital Trust failed to centre 2a,000 letters from senior doctors to patients and gps, blaming a computer error. Newcastle hospital says the problem goes back to 2018. The nhs wants regulation patient safety. Home secretary Suella Braverman is expected to say the 1958 Un Refugee Convention might not be fit for the modern age. In a speech in washington she will argue it was an incredible achievement that shifts in the interpretation has led to increased numbers being defined as refugees. Hundreds of schools in scotland have closed due to a strike by support staff. The walk out by Unison Members affects 24 walk out by Unison Members affects 2a council areas. Good morning, more of us are on the sick than at any time since 2010. What was it about 2010 . Lots of factors. Stress, Mental Health, covid, long covid, the Cost Of Living Crisis and all of that, for want of a better word, stuff going on in the world. This is according to new research by the chartered institute for personnel and development, to whom we will speak in a moment. Covid, one of the organisations responding to the research said 50 of employees have had covid over the last 12 months, covid or long covid. Long covid symptoms last 12 weeks or more and if you have that right now and you are listening or watching, my sympathies, i know people going through that. The main cause of long term absence is Mental Ill Health, that is a big, big issue. Lets talk to rachel, a senior well being advisor for the aforementioned capd. Good morning. Tell us more about this. I guess the question is, why now . About this. I guess the question is, wh now . , ~ ,. , about this. I guess the question is, wh now . ,. , ~ why now . That is the key question. A bi Um In Why Now . That is the key question. A big jump in sickness why now . That is the key question. A big jump in Sickness Absence why now . That is the key question. A big jump in Sickness Absence levels i big jump in Sickness Absence levels and when i looked back even further it is 15 years since we have seen absence levels this high. 0n it is 15 years since we have seen absence levels this high. On average now 7. 8 days per employee per year, before the pandemic we reported 5. 8 days, that is two whole days more per employee, so a really big jump. When we look at the causes, according to research findings, youve already mentioned Mental Ill Health, that is by far the main cause of long term absence, four weeks or more. It is also a cause of short term absence. Also stress, that was seen as a really major factor. You also mention to other issues and i think we need to look at the broader context too it is a complex picture, lots of people and organisations have had a very challenging time over the last three years. 0bviously challenging time over the last three years. Obviously the pandemic, covid is still very pleasant very present, but also there is a Cost Of Living Crisis, lots of economic turbulence, we have had war, there is a lot going on in the outside world affecting people. Is a lot going on in the outside world affecting people. There is some awful world affecting people. There is some awful stuff. World affecting people. There is some awful stuff. Turn world affecting people. There is some awful stuff. Turn on world affecting people. There is some awful stuff. Turn on the i world affecting people. There is| some awful stuff. Turn on the tv world affecting people. There is some awful stuff. Turn on the tv or radio and it feels a bit all enveloping, so there was that, and there are more personal issues. What is stress . It there are more personal issues. What is stress . , ~. ,. , is stress . It is linked to Mental Ill Health and is stress . It is linked to Mental Ill Health and mental is stress . It is linked to mental| ill health and Mental Wellbeing is stress . It is linked to Mental Ill Health and mentalwellbeing but ill health and mental well being but it is different. The health and safety executive, the regulator for stress, they have all the great tools to help organisations manage workplace stress, they define it as excess pressure. We all have pressure in our lives, but it is normal, if it is at a controllable level we react and control and perform under pressure but if it goes on for prolonged amounts of time you get turnout, we have seen quite a bit of research around burnout for some people in the nhs, front line roles. You can also then have Mental Health issues too like anxiety and depression. Lots of physical symptoms from stress too. You feel it in the stomach when it is really bad. Any figures for the Self Employed . I think there is a little bit of kickback from the freelancers on this. Little bit of kickback from the freelancers on this. There are a few million peeple freelancers on this. There are a few Million People who freelancers on this. There are a few Million People who are Million People who are Self Employed. Million people who are selfemployed. Million people who are selfemployed. If Million People who are selfemlo ed. ,. , m selfemployed. Tiny money. If they are off sick selfemployed. Tiny money. If they are off sick they selfemployed. Tiny money. If they are off sick they dont selfemployed. Tiny money. If they are off sick they dont really selfemployed. Tiny money. If they are off sick they dont really get are off sick they dont really get anything, they are not entitled to statutory sick pay like all workers are in the uk. Our Survey Findings do not cover the Self Employed because they are looking at organisations that you have highlighted a really important gap in terms of what we provide in this country for people who are Self Employed. We need longer term reform to make sure they can access support and Financial Support when they are not well and cannot work. It is not good for anybody to work when they are unwell. I it is not good for anybody to work when they are unwell. When they are unwell. I suppose another yardstick, when they are unwell. I suppose another yardstick, cynics when they are unwell. I suppose another yardstick, cynics mightl when they are unwell. I suppose i another yardstick, cynics might say if the Self Employed can push on through, why cant other people . And just picking up on what people are saying, why is it particularly bad in the Public Sector . Cynics via say that more time off is allowed. We alwa s that more time off is allowed. Always get that type of commentary around the difference in public and Private Sector absence. I will around the difference in public and Private Sector absence. Private sector absence. I will Show Ou M Private Sector absence. I will show you my text Private Sector absence. I will show you my text console Private Sector absence. I will show you my text console some Private Sector absence. I will show you my text console some time, l Private Sector absence. I will show you my text console some time, i | you my text console some time, i will take a screen grab. All sorts of opinions coming in and that is a significant part. It is of opinions coming in and that is a significant part significant part. It is good to have oinions significant part. It is good to have opinions coming significant part. It is good to have opinions coming in significant part. It is good to have opinions coming in and significant part. It is good to have opinions coming in and to significant part. It is good to have opinions coming in and to really l opinions coming in and to really discuss the issue. Public sector Sickness Absence has always been higher and this time it is almost double, actually, that of the Private Sector, around 10. 5 days on average per employee. To put that in context, firstly absence is normally higher in larger organisations, that those who Private Sector too, and there are lots of organisations in there are lots of organisations in the Public Sector. Also there is an awful lot of front line roles. If you think how front line workers have really stepped up during the pandemic and experienced quite a lot of pressure and stress in their jobs. We have workforce shortages in areas of the Public Sector like the nhs, that can lead to increased stress. And so on, at work. I cant imaaine stress. And so on, at work. I cant imagine the stress. And so on, at work. I cant imagine the stress stress. And so on, at work. I cant imagine the Stress Working stress. And so on, at work. I cant imagine the Stress Working in stress. And so on, at work. I cant imagine the Stress Working in the | imagine the Stress Working in the overpriced nhs too. There was covid and now there are all the pressure is bearing down on the National Health service i cannot imagine working in the states nhs. We will soon bejoined by a psychologist and author. Is there enough concentration on well being in the workplace for the workers . Contact us using the details on screen, lets see what is happening in your environment. Richard from newport, how are you doing . All newport, how are you doing . Fill right, how are you . Newport, how are you doing . All right, how are you . Im newport, how are you doing . All right, how are you . Im fine. Newport, how are you doing . All i right, how are you . Im fine. What do ou right, how are you . Im fine. What do you think right, how are you . Im fine. What do you think of right, how are you . Im fine. What do you think of this . Right, how are you . Im fine. What do you think of this . I right, how are you . Im fine. What do you think of this . I have right, how are you . Im fine. What| do you think of this . I have worked full time but do you think of this . I have worked full time but a do you think of this . I have worked full time but a zerohours do you think of this . I have worked full time but a zerohours contract| full time but a zero hours contract and last year i was diagnosed with cancer, part of the treatment with radiotherapy every day, which could have been accommodated for the first thing in the morning because i needed to continue to work, but for whatever reason it was getting later and later in the morning that i had to go to the hospital, so being zero hours with no sick pay i decided to go to work rather than take up the treatment, i couldnt afford not to. Take up the treatment, i couldnt afford not to take up the treatment, i couldnt| afford not to. The afford not to. That is terrible. The other thing afford not to. That is terrible. The other thing that afford not to. That is terrible. The other thing that really afford not to. That is terrible. The other thing that really annoys afford not to. That is terrible. The | other thing that really annoys me, in effect i am Self Employed even though i have been there for two years full time. If i was living in rented accommodation i would have had help with the rent. I own my property, my mortgage has increased from 352 1200 pounds a month. I simply have to work. Has increased from £350 to £1200 a month. ~. , increased from £350 to £1200 a month. ~. , i. Increased from £350 to £1200 a month. , y. ,. , increased from £350 to £1200 a month. ,. ,. Month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a living. Month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a living. I month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a living. I am month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a living. I am on month. What is your work . A girl i drive for a living. I am on my i l drive for a living. I am on my i t for drive for a living. I am on my i try for a drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living. Drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living. I drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living, i am drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living, i am on drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living, i am on my drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living, i am on my way i drive for a living. I am on my i try for a living, i am on my way to scotland try for a living, i am on my way to scotland as try for a living, i am on my way to scotland as we speak, but i had Stooped Scotland as we speak, but i had stopped for now. Scotland as we speak, but i had stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far as stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far as i stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far as i know, stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far as i know, im stopped for now. How are you at the moment . As far as i know, im fine, i have moment . As far as i know, im fine, i have three moment . As far as i know, im fine, i have three monthly moment . As far as i know, im fine, i have three monthly reviews moment . As far as i know, im fine, i have three monthly reviews over. I have three monthly reviews over the telephone, but who knows without proper diagnosis . I suppose i have buried my head in the sand and as far as i know i am fine at the moment, that is the best i can say. But you have had to work in the situation that you have the terrible nagging worry about things and you probably have not been feeling terribly well . Probably have not been feeling terribl well . ,. , terribly well . That is true, i have had to terribly well . That is true, i have had to i terribly well . That is true, i have had to. I would terribly well . That is true, i have had to. I would not terribly well . That is true, i have had to. I would not say terribly well . That is true, i have had to. I would not say force i had to. I would not say force myself, im fortunate i really love myself, im fortunate i really love myjob, but i really dont have a choice so i have to accept things the way they are and just get on with it. If i was to get help with my mortgage and sick pay then i would probably be one of those figures, one of those people pushing the figures up. Thats because i have no choice, i had to accept the situation as it is. Situation as it is. Julie is with us, situation as it is. Julie is with us. What situation as it is. Julie is with us. What an situation as it is. Julie is with us, what an important i situation as it is. Julie is with us, what an important call. | situation as it is. Julie is with i us, what an important call. Hi, julie. And richard, health wise, i hope your recovery continues and you get everything worked out and the timing is work out for you and i hope the journey to scotland is good. Richard it newport. Julie, where are you . Good. Richard it newport. Julie, | where are you . I good. Richard it newport. Julie, i where are you . I am where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if it where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if it is where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if it is a where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if it is a brilliant where are you . Herefordshire. I am not sure if it is a brilliant line, i not sure if it is a brilliant line, carry on and i will try to get you. It never is. Carry on and i will try to get you. It never is it never is. We will endeavour to net a it never is. We will endeavour to get a better it never is. We will endeavour to get a better line. It never is. We will endeavour to get a better line. Matt it never is. We will endeavour to get a better line. Matt in it never is. We will endeavour to | get a better line. Matt in norfolk. I am a lazy person, i will happily admit, but i find sometimes, particularly at work, if there is something im not looking forward to. I had twojobs at my first part timejob is at to. I had twojobs at my first Part Time Job is at times quite stressful, and if there was something i am not looking forward to in the week then i find it quite easy to say, actually, my Mental Health isnt very good today, do you mind if i dont come in and do that thing . I dont know, listening to your previous caller who had to go into work, i sometimes feel quite gui