MORE than 400 NHS staff at north Cumbria’s two main hospitals took time off work as a result of stress or anxiety as they battled to help Covid-19 patients.

Figures obtained exclusively by The Cumberland News reveal for the first time the impact of the pandemic on north Cumbria’s dedicated frontline staff over the past year. North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust (NCIC) has released the most comprehensive figures yet outlining how Covid-19 affected staff at The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

Statistics also reveal how key NHS medical facilities were impacted. Key figures include:

* The number of trust staff who needed time off because of covid ­— either because they were infected or were self-isolating ­— was 1,757.

* The highest number came from The Cumberland Infirmary, with 908 taking time off between March and December. At West Cumberland Hospital, the figure was 438.

* At Penrith Hospital, 69 staff members needed time off, while at Cleator Moor Health Centre the number was 23, and at Cockermouth Cottage Hospital it was 19. Hilltop Heights in Carlisle reported 51 covid-related absences, while North Carlisle Medical Centre had 13. At Workington Community Hospital, the figure was 42 while the figure for Wigton Hospital was 22.

Trust bosses were also asked about stress-related absences during the pandemic - between the months of March and December. Of the 417 absences reported since March, 107 staff blamed stress alone, while 310 said it was anxiety, stress, depression, or another psychiatric illness.

The trust also provided figures for covid testing regime throughout the pandemic. Between March and December, 351 staff at the hospitals tested positive for covid ­— 271 at The Cumberland and 80 at the West Cumberland.

The worst month was April, with 175 Infirmary staff testing positive and 43 in west Cumbria. In the months since, only a handful of positive test results were reported each month, showing the trust successfully curbed the virus.

By December 3, the hospitals had done just over than 4,700 staff tests, of which 2,062 were on staff who had symptoms and 2,642 were on staff who were asymptomatic.

Glenn Turp, regional director for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the North, said: “Nursing staff across the country are exhausted by the efforts from the first wave and now the second of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Working during the pandemic has been an incredibly stressful experience for staff, with fears over health and safety, PPE and patient complexity. Many are worried about trying to combine their home lives with work, bringing the virus home and the impact on their families and loved ones.

“Before the pandemic, the NHS was already critically short of 40,000 registered nursing staff. The pandemic has simply made a dangerous situation worse, with increased workload, relentless 12 hour shifts and never-ending pressure. Many are feeling overwhelmed and this is taking a toll on their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

“Its little wonder that staff morale has dropped, whilst staff sickness rates have increased. NHS England needs to ensure better risk assessments at work for staff and improve working patterns, including re-evaluating the dangers of 12 hour shifts to staff and patients.

“They also need to improve mental health care for those on the front line. NHS Trusts and their staff, including NCIC, are doing the best they can with very limited resources. Until the Government pays nursing staff what they deserve and provide a safe working environment, then they will not resolve the nursing workforce crisis and we will continue to see patients put at risk.”