The number of NHS staff at hospitals in England off due to Covid-19 has risen for the fourth week in a row, new figures show. An average of 28,560 NHS staff were ill with coronavirus or having to self-isolate each day in the week to April 3, according to data from NHS England.
This is up four per cent on the previous week, although the rate of increase appears to be slowing after previous week-on-week rises of 19 per cent and 31 per cent. The figures suggest that, on average, one in 33 (three per cent) NHS staff working in hospital trusts were off sick or self-isolating due to Covid each day last week, based on the latest available NHS workforce data.
NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: "Today's figures sum up just how busy NHS staff currently are. Alongside increasing numbers of Covid and emergency patients and with 94 per cent of beds now occupied, they are also dealing with the highest number of staff off sick due to the virus for 10 weeks – an average of 28,500 staff each day.
"Despite the sustained demand, staff are continuing to focus on addressing the Covid-19 backlogs and roll out the NHS spring booster programme, so please come forward for your Covid jabs, and if you need NHS help, use the NHS 111 online service."
The NHS England figures, published on Thursday, also show that the seven-day average number of Covid staff absences at English hospital trusts has fallen across two regions. The largest fall was four per cent in the south west, down from an average of 4,137 a day to 3,976, while there was a one per cent fall in the east of England from 2,571 to 2,537. However, the north east and Yorkshire saw the largest rise in Covid hospital staff absences, up 13 per cent from 4,990 to 5,612.
The Royal College of Nursing director for England, Patricia Marquis, said: "Covid-19-related absences continue to rise sharply amongst NHS staff, climbing by more than 80 per cent in the last month. As systems declare critical incidents and patients face long waits for emergency care, the weekly release of key data from the NHS comes to an end today.
"Alongside the British Medical Association, we are calling for this to still be released in the interests of transparency. Nursing staff must be assured the pressure they face with high bed occupancy and understaffing is not resting on them alone."
