Sickness absence has cost the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) more than £3.5 million in the most recent year recorded, a new report has said. It's the highest figure in three years, with cost topping £3 million annually and reaching £3,659,640 this year, the report shows. Two reports were commissioned by the Justice Minister Naomi Long last summer; one on the support services provided for operational prison staff and another dealing with the support services provided for retired staff. They revealed a significant number of prison staff - more than a quarter - suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are more likely to suffer from mental health difficulties than paramedics or police officers.