Eight staff a day tested positive for Covid at Shropshire hospitals in January
An average of eight staff a day at Shropshire's major hospitals tested positive for coronavirus in January, a new report has revealed.
The number rose from an average of five in December, according to the performance report to Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust's board of directors.
A rise in Covid-related absence, affecting 328 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in January – or 5.6 per cent, was "partly attributed to staff going back into shielding combined with an increase in staff testing".
Combining the figure with sickness unrelated to Covid in January, this increased the absence rate to almost 10 per cent – 579 FTE staff, the report said.
The update from SaTH's director of workforce Rhia Boyode said: "Increased Covid related absence is partly attributed to staff going back into shielding combined with an increase in staff testing.
"Staff that are required to isolate remained at fairly consistent levels, however staff being unwell as a result of Covid increased to peak levels in January.
"The average number of staff testing positive per day in December was five which increased to an average of eight new cases per day in January."
The report said absence related to mental health continued to be high, accounting for 32 per cent of all non-Covid sickness.
Staff are also accessing wellbeing support being made available to them.
The report says: "The on-site psychologist has received 56 individual referrals and 39 team appointments from June 2020 – February 2021.
"Phoenix Psychology have received 45 contacts from medical staff from March 2020 – February 2021 and have held four wellbeing education and training seminars, with 50 attendees.
Pressure
"Care First (employee assistance programme) have received 100 telephone counselling requests, 50 face-to-face counselling and a total of 59 staff have accessed their online wellbeing resources.
"From September 2020 – November 2020 they have received 54 new client requests."
It also said clinical areas were currently under extreme pressure and were supporting the vaccination programme, which has impacted staff availability for training.
Plans are being developed to improve performance as quickly as possible, the report added.
The number of Covid patients being treated at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, which are run by SaTH, has continued to fall since its peak towards the end of January.
Meanwhile, health bosses say a huge 'ramping up' of the county's coronavirus vaccination service is expected in the coming weeks, with numbers of patients due to rise as many return for their second jab.
SaTH's board will meet online tomorrow to discuss the report.
