MORE than a quarter of local government workers in Scotland have sought medical help for mental health issues in the past year, a trade union survey has indicated.

A report published today by Unison lays bare the impact of the pandemic on local government workers, including lost holidays and extra hours worked. 

More than 12,000 Unison members working at Scotland’s councils were asked about the pandemic’s toll on their health over the past year, with eight in 10 saying their stress levels had risen and 27 per cent reporting that they had sought professional help over their mental health in the past year.