STAFF sickness rates in Jersey’s health service are climbing – with Jersey’s rate of absence now outstripping the strained NHS in the UK, new data has revealed.
The figures emerged in a workforce metrics report due to be presented today to the board that oversees the work of the Island’s health department – which also revealed that specialist has been appointed to deal with areas where pressure is particularly acute.
The report showed that 6.5% of all working days in Jersey’s health service were lost to sickness between July 2024 and June 2025 – higher than the most recently published absence rates in NHS England (5.1%), NHS Scotland (6.2%), and NHS Wales (6.2%).
It also revealed that the sickness rate in Jersey rose by nearly 23% compared to the same period the previous year.
The report, published ahead of today’s Health Advisory Board meeting, point to seasonal illnesses and mental health-related issues as leading causes of staff absence.
The report read: “Between 31 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, coughs, colds, and flu accounted for 25.6% of all sickness absences, followed by gastrointestinal issues at 14.2% and anxiety or stress at 12.3%.”
Between July 2024 and June 2025, there were 1,751 instances of short-term absence linked to colds and flu, 971 to gastrointestinal illness, and 696 to stress or anxiety.
In terms of long-term absence, there were 148 cases related to anxiety or stress, 61 to surgical procedures, and 30 to injury or fracture.
Health officials said: “This increase may reflect both improved reporting and a genuine rise in absences.”
They added: “To help address sickness absence, a dedicated lead will be appointed
to work with care groups, ensuring consistent application of policy and
targeted action in hotspot areas.”
High levels of stress and anxiety-related absences are not a new issue within Jersey’s health service.
In previous years, reports have raised concerns about poor workplace culture, with some staff reluctant to report bullying or harassment for fear of repercussions.
In 2022, a damning report by Professor Hugo Mascie-Taylor identified serious concerns about governance and workplace culture at the Hospital.
He said at the time: “There is clearly a need to improve the culture of the organisation – that is well known.
“The need to ensure that staff are listened to, that they feel valued and engaged is important because we know – and there is plenty of evidence which suggests this – that poor morale has a negative impact on patient care and it is therefore critical that we improve the culture of our organisation.”
The issue has continued to feature in recent Health Advisory Board meetings.
In February, the board described stress and anxiety among staff as a “significant concern” and said better mental health support could help reduce sickness absence.
At the time, Health confirmed that work was underway to develop a “heat map” to track sickness patterns across departments to help identify areas where staff are under the most pressure and ensure support is targeted effectively.
Non-Executive Health Advisory Board Director Dame Clare Gerada suggested that there could be a culture shift in the way sickness relates to work.
She advised against staff thinking they needed to be “100% well” before coming to work, noting that work can also be beneficial for mental health.
Health’s Director of Workforce, Ian Tegerdine, pointed to ongoing work on how to improve take-up of wellbeing resources.
