Teachers took an average six days off sick each last year, resulting in an
estimated 2.8 million days lost to sickness, according to provisional figures
from the Office for National Statistics.
Around 56 per cent of the teaching workforce took some sickness absence in
2001, up 1 per cent on the previous year.
The numbers of teachers taking sick days rose to 283,600, the third
consecutive annual rise. Those taking sickness absence were likely to be off an
average 10 days.
London and the North West were the worst hit areas, with 43,200 and 39,800
staff respectively taking days off sick.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
The North West also suffered badly when it came to days lost to sickness
absence, incurring 394,500, with Yorkshire and the Humber also doing badly,
with 359,900 lost days.
