MORE than £150,000 had to be spent on temporary agency staff by Barnsley Council in order to fill gaps to provide essential health and social care for vulnerable adults and children.
The Chronicle can reveal that a total of £129,921 was paid for qualified staff and a further £34,340 for non-qualified staff.
According to a Freedom of Information request, almost £150,000 more was needed across the entire financial year to plug staffing gaps across the council’s services with legal, labour, driving and administration all costing five figures each.
A total of £304,199.83 was paid to Reed Recruitment in 2023/24.
A council spokesperson said: “At certain times agency staff are necessary to maintain high-quality care for both adults and children, ensuring that we meet the needs of our community and statutory responsibilities effectively.
“We only use agency staff to cover temporary workforce shortages in essential posts, particularly in areas like social care, where there is currently a national workforce shortage, especially in children’s services.
“We are committed to building a skilled and sustainable workforce through our ongoing recruitment and workforce strategies.
“Our focus is on developing a sustainable and thriving team that delivers excellent care and support both now and in the future.
“For those interested in joining our team, please visit our website for current job opportunities and stay updated on available roles.”
In the past year, the council lost a total of 13,393 full-time working days due to mental and emotional wellbeing ill health.
In 2022/23, the average total days lost per employee was 11.09 days - an increase of 0.85 days lost per employee from 2021/22.
That equates to more than 36 years’ lost work.
Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for core services, admitted that the figure was high - but that the council plan for absence and no services should be affected as a result.
He added: “Absence due to mental health issues is one of the main causes of absence for UK employers and it’s a trend we’re seeing in Barnsley.
“Over the last year, employee absence relating to mental health issues equates to 13,393 full-time equivalent days, up from 11,684 in 2021/22.
“We know this is a high number.
“At times, mental health challenges can impact an individual’s ability to work, and at Barnsley Council we want to create an open and supportive culture where our employees feel comfortable seeking help and support so that they can return to work quickly.
“We offer a range of support services, including counselling, advice and training, mental health first aiders, and a 24-hour, seven days a week free and confidential employee assistance programme for all and their immediate families.”
