Murdo has raised concerns over the number of schoolteachers in Perth and Kinross who took time off work due to mental health issues – numbering 471 in three years.
Data supplied to the Scottish Conservative Party from Perth and Kinross Council through Freedom of Information shows that the teachers were absent from work due to a variety of mental health problems, including stress, work-related stress, bereavement, exhaustion, depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorder, chronic fatigue, panic attacks, acute stress reaction, situational crisis, grief reaction, insomnia, personal problems, relationship problems and post-traumatic stress reaction/disorder.
The number of teachers off in the region off due to mental health issues increased from 141 in the 2022/23 financial year to 158 in the 2023/24 financial year and rose again to 172 in the 2024/25 financial year.
The overall number of days lost over the last three financial years by teachers in Perth and Kinross having to take time off due to general sickness totalled a staggering 35,493.
Commenting, Murdo said: “I am very concerned by the number of teachers who were off sick in Perth and Kinross due to mental health issues, which appears to be a trend mirrored across the country. Recent responses to Reform Scotland from 14 local authorities in Scotland from questions on the number of teacher absences due to stress found that the total number of days lost because of mental health issues rose from 30,380 in 2017/18 to 41,629 last year.
“There are various reasons for stress as we see by the variety of descriptions of mental health problems suffered by the teachers, ranging from work-related stress to panic attacks and post-traumatic stress reaction/disorder. The data gives me great concern and I hope the Scottish Government take note of these figures.”
Murdo continued: “Last year, the Educational Institute (EIS) of Scotland carried out research which looked at the workload of teachers and stress levels. The study found that on average, teachers were working more than 11 additional hours a week, unpaid, on top of their contractual hours. The EIS said that ‘soaring’ levels of stress and stress-related illness were a very serious concern.
“I’m sure Perth and Kinross Council will have measures in place to support staff affected by stress but this is still an issue that needs highlighted.”
