More than half of all sick days taken in February at the Cheshire NHS panel that ran the Covid-19 vaccination program were due to stress, anxiety or depression, he writes Ethan Davies.
This comes from the latest workforce report from the NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is leading vaccine rollout in the county.
The report found that 312 sick days were taken by employees as of February this year, with 56% of those days being due to “stress, anxiety, or depression.”
“It goes without saying that the past 12 months have been an incredible challenge for anyone working in the health and care sector,” said a CCG spokesman.
“The employees worked remotely and countless colleagues went to great lengths to protect the people of Cheshire from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“A wide range of wellbeing resources have been shared with employees over the past 12 months, and we are committed to adopting the NHS HR plan, including ensuring that each employee has regular conversations with a supervisor or trusted colleague about the Well-being leads. “
The review also found that no days were lost to Covid-19 disease, but the total number of sick days increased from January when the number was 259.
The spokesman added that management is looking to adapt to a new way of working in a post-pandemic UK.
They said, “We also work with staff to ensure that the support we offer meets their needs and consider how we adjust resources while working from home and then gradually returning to our office locations.
“Our employees are our greatest asset.
“Our director, Christine Morris, has been named our benefactress to work with the board and a broader organization, and there is a comprehensive plan of wellbeing in place.”
Meanwhile, a Long Covid Path is being developed for patients in Cheshire and Merseyside, including an assessment center in Liverpool.
The development was announced on Thursday (April 15th) in the governing body of the NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
“This pathway is designed to support patients with symptoms of Covid-19 that last longer than 12 weeks and is based on guidelines from the National Institute for Excellence in Health and Care,” read a report prior to the meeting.
It added that “one percent of patients with Covid-19 are estimated to have symptoms after 12 weeks of developing the disease”.
However, CCG board member and GP Lesley Appleton criticized the location of the center, claiming it was too far for residents of eastern Cheshire to travel.
She also said she believed the “one percent” figure on the report should be closer to “one in ten”.
In response, Tracey Cole, CCG’s Executive Director of Strategy and Partnership, said, “Our patients have the option to have virtual access to clinics. We set up this commission.
“I think it’s early days to evaluate this, but the principles are key to making sure we know it will be successful.”
A more detailed report will be presented to the CCG governing body at the next meeting in May 2021.
