Third of NHS staff absences were down to Covid-19

Latest figures show a third of NHS staff absences at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Trust, which runs Bradford Royal Infirmary, are down to coronavirus - an 83 per cent increase from the previous week.

NHS England data shows 610 staff at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were off sick on January 2.

Of them, 212 (35 per cent) were off because they had Covid-19, or were self-isolating due to the virus.

This was an 83% increase on a week before, when 116 Covid-related absences were recorded.

Meanwhile, the virus was the reason behind more than two in five NHS staff absences at Airedale Hospital.

Of the 343 staff at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust who were off sick on January 2, 151 (44 per cent) were off because they had Covid-19, or were self-isolating due to the virus.

This was a 190 per cent increase on a week before, when 52 Covidrelated absences were recorded.

Katherine Duke, Deputy Director of People and Organisational Development at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and a spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are seeing an increase in staff sickness and isolation absence which reflects what is happening in other workforces and across our communities.

“Staffing continues to be a significant challenge and we are doing everything to ensure that services remain safely staffed.

“Looking after the health and wellbeing of our people is a key priority for us given the demands they continue to face; we are supporting our staff with a host of physical and mental health and wellbeing services to help them recover and stay well and are also providing access to rapid testing.

“We would ask however that the public only use our accident and emergency department if it is absolutely necessary, to help our staff with the significant level of demand.

“If people don’t need urgent care but they come to A&E, it makes it much harder for our teams throughout the hospital to care for patients who really do need emergency medical treatment.

"If you need urgent help but it isn’t an emergency, please use NHS 111.

"If you can access the internet then the online option will be best suited for you by visiting www.111.nhs.uk, otherwise please call the service on 111 and a trained advisor will help you.

"For more routine issues, such as an upset tummy, please use your local pharmacy.”

Yesterday, acting chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Rob Aitchison issued a reassurance that the hospital’s services “remain operational” despite being “especially pressured” this year.

He added: “Demand in the hospital and across our community services is always high at this time of year.

"However, this year our teams are especially pressured as they manage usual winter pressures alongside an increase in Covid-19 cases and higher-than-usual staff absences because of Covid.

"But we factored this in when we developed our winter plan and currently our services, although very stretched, remain operational.

“We are doing all we can to support our staff, including access to rapid PCR testing, to help people to return to work as soon as they are able.

"Our teams are incredible; they go over and above to give our patients the best possible care.

"But I am conscious of the sustained pressure on them, and we are doing what we can to support them with a range of physical and mental health and wellbeing services.

“Members of the public can help by ensuring they’ve had their Covid-19 vaccinations – which they can have here at our vaccine centre – and by only coming to A&E if it is an emergency.

"If you need help but it isn’t an emergency, please use NHS 111 or 111. nhs.uk.

“Above all, everyone can do their bit by taking measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 and other nasty winter viruses – washing hands regularly, wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

"This will help you and those around you to stay well and will also reduce the pressure on the NHS.”