Number of people signed off work with depression

For the attention of S. James

I write in reply to your request, dated 12 August 2009 as below, quoting the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 and requesting information on the 'number of people signed off work with depression'.

Below, I repeat your questions and provide an answer to each:

Q1. Please can you let me know the number of working days lost each year for the past 10 due to "stress, anxiety and depression"?

A1. The information provided was extracted from March 2004 to date (please see the note below):
2004/05 208 days
2005/06 225 days
2006/07 252 days
2007/08 219 days
2008/09 704 days
2009/10 81 days

Q2. Also please can you let me know how many employees for each cause who were retired on the grounds of ill-health each year for the past 10 years?

A2. No employees were retired on the grounds of ill-health since March 2004 (please see the note below).

Q3. Please separately state dismissals in this as well where ill-health was brought up as a factor?

A3. There have been two dismissals since March 2004 (please see the note below), where ill-health was brought up as a factor.

Note: Whilst the Council holds the information described in the request, we do not hold the information in electronic records covering the whole of the 10 year period requested.

The reasons for sickness were only input into our electronic personnel system from March 2004. To obtain detailed information prior to this date, it would be necessary to manually inspect each personnel paper file and extract this data. We estimate that to retrieve and extract the information, manually, from these records would take approximately 250 hours, at a cost of £6250 (250 hrs @ £25) - which would exceed the 'appropriate limit'.

The 'appropriate limit' for Local Authorities is specified in regulations and is set at £450. This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours in determining whether the Authority holds the information, and in locating, retrieving and extracting the information.

Under section 12 of the FOI Act, the Council is not obliged to respond to requests which exceed this limit. I, therefore inform you that we will not process the portion of your request relating to information prior to March 2004, any further.

If you are dissatisfied with the response you have received and wish to request a review of the decision, or how your request has been handled, please write to: Customer Services, Mid Devon District Council, Phoenix House, Phoenix Lane, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6PP and state your reasons.

Alternatively, you may complete the online complaint/appeal form - details of which can be found on the Council Website at www.middevon.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=....

Please note that your request for internal review should be submitted to us within 40 working days of receipt by you of this response. Any such request received after this time will not be considered.

If your complaint/appeal is not resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision. (The contact details for the Information Commissioner can be found at www.ico.gov.uk/Global/contact_us.aspx).

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Officer
Mid Devon District Council
Phoenix House
Phoenix Lane
Tiverton
Devon
EX16 6PP

Email: [Mid Devon District Council request email]

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