Help Talking-up Scotland keep going

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421

Crisis?

According to the Express, 39,078 working days lost to long-term officer absence in Q1 of 2026/27 – what percentage of all the working days available across all the police officers in Scotland, is this?

Roughly 3.7% of all available officer working days in that quarter, using the standard 8-hour-day equivalent that Police Scotland and most UK forces use for absence stats. https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/fury-3000-scots-police-officers-37611955

How that figure is reached

• Officers: 16,402 FTE at the end of June 2026 (the quarter in question is April–June 2026).
• Full-time officers work a 40-hour week.
• Absence “days” are counted as 8-hour units.
• A quarter is 13 weeks → 65 available day-equivalents per officer.

Is that particularly high and concerning?

Let’s compare with nurses.

The overall absence rate among police officers in Scotland is 7.2%. It’s 8% for nurses. https://www.rcn.org.uk/-/media/Royal-College-Of-Nursing/Documents/Countries-and-regions/Scotland/2026/Nursing-Workforce-in-Scotland-2026.pdf

Help Talking-up Scotland keep going

Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going

Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421