Mental health problems were the biggest reasons for people going off sick at one Merseyside council.
A document on Sefton Council's website set out the reasons for staff going off sick across all departments, excluding schools.
The report found from October 1, 2018 to September, 2019, 22.4% of council staff off sick was due to mental health reasons.
This included people on short and long term sick leave.
The document added 41.8% of employees being referred to the council's 'health unit' was also due to mental health reasons.
It found that the council department with the most people on sick leave was adult social care.
Sefton Council has frequently been vocal about the strain on both adult and children social care services.
Council leader Ian Maher previously said there is an increasing pressure on both adult and children’s social care along with schools in Sefton.
He said: “There are still huge pressures on both adult and children’s social care along with our schools but our calls for help in these areas seem to go ignored."
The report said as a result of a recent 'stress survey' the council has taken the initiative to train staff members as mental health first aiders.
It also said at the local authority there is an "in-house occupational health support in providing counselling, CBT and other talking therapies."
According to recent NHS data published in January the number of people being diagnosed with depression is soaring in Merseyside - with one in every seven adults now known to be suffering from the disorder.
The figures reveal that there are currently 171,673 people across Merseyside with a formal diagnosis of depression.
That works out as 14% of all adults registered with a GP in 2018/19.
The number is up from 149,702 in 2017/18 (13% of adults), and 99,288 people five years ago (8%).
However, people in Southport and Formby has the lowest rate locally, with closer to 11% of adults officially diagnosed, or one in nine - some 11,101 people in total.
Laura Peters, head of advice and information at Rethink Mental Illness said: “It’s really important not to jump to conclusions with these figures, as they only tell part of the story.
“It’s very difficult to conclusively determine if the number of people living with depression has increased over the years, in the same way we don’t know how many people remain undiagnosed.
“What the figures do indicate is that more people are seeking clinical support for their mental health, the first step of which is often making an appointment with a GP.
“This may be because in recent years public awareness and understanding of mental illness has improved significantly.
“It’s really important that people recognise the signs that something isn’t quite right, and feel comfortable asking for support with their mental health when they need it.
“It’s crucial that people get the right treatment at the right time.
“However, people living with mental illness often find it impacts every aspect of their life, so while traditionally the focus for treatment is more clinical and considers medication and talking therapies, it’s really important that elements such as finance, employment and social connectedness are factored into their support plan.”
