Hundreds of hours lost at Shropshire hospitals over staff sickness
Extra agency workers had to be brought in at Ludlow Hospital to cover hundreds of hours of shifts due to staff sickness, it has been revealed.
During October, 455 registered nurse hours and 451 health care assistant hours were lost due to sickness. The majority of these related to long-term sickness.
Due to the high levels of sickness, staffing was supplemented by the use of bank and agency staff.
The figures were revealed during a meeting of Shropshire Community Health Trust's board at Whitchurch Hospital yesterday.
Steve Gregory, the trust's director of nursing and operations, said the figures for Ludlow were of "particular concern".
At Bridgnorth Hospital 145.25 registered nurse hours were lost during the month.
A further 137.5 registered nurse hours were lost due to sickness at Whitchurch Hospital, of which 130 hours related to long term sickness.
Mr Gregory said: "We have a review around sickness absence in place – including a focus on the high number in Ludlow, which is a particular concern. This all leads back to values – how you relate and talk to each other can reduce absences."
Jan Ditheridge, chief executive of Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust, said: "Some of our old policies haven't encouraged people to come to work – that has all changed now with the roll out of our new values."
But Mr Gregory said in his report that at all times in all of the community hospitals safe staffing levels have been maintained.
He said: "There needs to be continued work on recruitment and creating a healthy working – reducing sickness absence.
"There is a massive problem nationally in recruiting more staff and we are now looking at different ways to recruitment new members of staff."
