A Kent Police officer has described how they face “gruelling and unrelenting” working conditions, as it has been revealed that sick days in the force have reached a six-year high.

The number of days lost across six months in mid-2023 were mainly due to "psychological" issues, such as stress and mental health.

Paperwork presented to Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, show for April to September this year "officers' average days lost per person (4.31) is higher than when compared to the same period in the previous six years".

Last year it was 3.81 and during Covid, in 2020/21, it was 2.82.

Based on a force of 4,100, the new data equates to 17,650 working days due to a range of absences.

Leave due to psychological issues accounts for the highest proportion of payroll hours lost for officers (44.15%), followed by musculo/skeletal related absence (12%).

One long-serving Kent Police officer, who has taken time off for stress in recent years, said: "I am not surprised most officers are taking time away from the job for mental health reasons. I did.

"Modern policing has many, many challenges and one can see why people are leaving or going off sick.

"On the front line, it is gruelling and unrelenting with long hours and pressure and often violence and abuse coming your way.

"You get hit, spat at and called the most horrible names under the sun just for going out and doing your job.

"It used to only happen sometimes but it's all the time now. Kent Police do their best to help and there is a reasonably good support network, by and large, but it's a very tough job."

Absences for mental health reasons among police officers has rocketed by 80% in the past decade alone across the country, says the Police Federation.

This related to stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Last month, Kent Police Federation (KPF) said that 208 officers had been signed off on mental health grounds in the past financial year.

KPF chairman Neil Mennie said: "Our last pay and morale survey showed that Kent Police have a pretty decent occupational health reputation in the business of health and welfare support.

“I am by no means qualified in this arena but as with everything else in policing under investment and having to make savings will no doubt be a factor."

He added said front line police are "in a storm of heavy workloads, long hours a cost of living crisis and still not enough cops" despite the force having record numbers.

Mr Mennie said: "We all have a responsibility to look after our colleagues and forces must do all they can to make this an environment where folks can speak up earlier and in safety.

“Progress has been made but this remains by its very nature a more hidden issue than physical injuries. However the relationship between physical and mental injury can easily be overlooked leading to a tendency to ‘park’ the latter’."

For staff (excluding PCSOs) psychological related absence also accounts for the highest proportion of payroll hours lost (28.99%).

The papers, complied by the office of the Kent Police Chief Constable, show the levels of absence are lower on staff members and PCSOs.

The documents state: "The average days lost per person for April to September 2023/24 for staff (4.18) are lower than the same period last year and this is also the case for PCSOs (5.88)."

Chief Constable Chris Rowley, wellbeing lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said in June that police chiefs were taking officers' mental health extremely seriously.

He said: "As the stigma around mental health has slowly reduced in recent years, we have seen hidden issues emerge, such as high levels of stress and trauma, which can lead to serious problems if they are not properly addressed.

“By providing services like occupational health provision, along with additional training and health checks, we have become better equipped to support the well being of our officers and staff.

"Our work has already made a difference and more police officers and staff feel OK to say they’re not OK.