Council workers in Derby could soon receive help to cope with job-related stress.

Derby city council is looking at spending �60,000 this year on a counselling service for its 10,000 workers.

It is hoped that counselling will reduce the estimated �750,000 a year lost through stressed workers taking sick leave.

Sue Scott, the authority's head of personnel, said the service would be telephone-based to keep costs down.

It's very important that employees can recognise the signs of stress

Sue Glithero, Director of Policy, Derby City Council

She said: "It isn't really a lot of money when you think we have over 10,000 employees, which works out at just �6 a head.

"If by spending that �60,000 we can prevent just a handful of people suffering from long-term health problems through stress then it will be money well spent."

The council plans to launch a Stress Management Policy on 11 October, but the counselling service is unlikely to be in place before 1 April 2003.

It says there has been no particular increase in stress within the council, although it is an on-going concern.

Sue Glithero, Director of Policy, Derby City Council, said: "It's very important that employees can recognise the signs of stress.

"Taking positive measures to manage stress within a large organisation, such as the council, is essential to its well-being and to the quality of its service to the public."