North Yorkshire Police loses 250,000 hours to sickness
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 16:24 · Archive
North Yorkshire Police lost almost 250,000 working hours to sickness last year, with psychological ill health accounting for over a third of absences.
North Yorkshire Police lost almost 246,822 working hours to sickness during 2025/26, according to a report going before the York and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on 14 October. The force has some of the highest levels of long-term police officer sickness compared with other forces, the report reveals.
Psychological ill health accounted for almost four in ten of all working hours lost to sickness. Although it represented just 12.2 per cent of all absences, it was responsible for 38.6 per cent of all working hours lost, indicating that mental health absences tend to be longer-term.
The report identifies long-term sickness alongside competition from external employers and retention of specialist expertise as continuing workforce challenges. North Yorkshire Police currently has 1,674 police officers and 125 PCSOs, with a total workforce of 3,147 including officers, staff, PCSOs and Special Constables. However, the force has a relatively young officer workforce, with 51.9 per cent aged under 41, which has created challenges in specialist and investigative roles where experience is particularly important.
How it is being reported
- North Yorkshire Police loses almost 250,000 hours to sickness amid absence concernsAlmost 250,000 working hours were lost to sickness at North Yorkshire Police last year amid concerns over comparatively high levels of long-term absence.Gazette & Herald (Malton) · 8 Oct, 16:00
- North Yorkshire Police loses almost 250,000 hours to sickness amid absence concernsAlmost 250,000 working hours were lost to sickness at North Yorkshire Police last year amid concerns over comparatively high levels of long-term absence.The Press (York) · 8 Oct, 16:00
In this story: North Yorkshire Police · York and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel · North Yorkshire
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem
Comments (0)