WORKERS are taking more than 13 days off a year on sick leave at a Teesside council.

The worst performing department at Hartlepool Borough Council is Social Services where an average of 16.1 sick days are taken per worker every year.

However, the overall figure is improving with the number of days staff at the council have been taking off, falling in the period 2000-2001, when 14.8 days a year were lost per worker.

Now the authority has launched an initiative in an effort to reduce the number of staff taking days off.

A group called the Employee Well Being Team has been established to reduce the 13.2 sickness rate by 26 per cent during the next three years.

Physiotherapist Keith Stephens has been appointed as a member of the team and he will treat employees in an attempt to encourage workers to return to work earlier.

Other initiatives include working with the NHS to speed up referrals and staff have been encouraged to report health and safety issues in an effort to cut back on accidents.

Barbara Taylor, who will head the Well Being Team, said: "Another part of our service is the Employee Support Scheme which is designed to help employees cope with some of life's difficult experiences.

This can range from anything from a family bereavement and marital breakdown, or someone who is simply struggling to cope with daily pressures, whether at home or work and needs a little bit of help and encouragement."

The worst cause of absence at Hartlepool Council, which employs about 4,000 people, is musculo-skeletal problems, which causes 25.7 per cent of all lost days. Stress accounts for 18.7 per cent of days lost.

The Government estimates about 25 million days a year are lost to the UK economy due to non-genuine sickness.