HEALTHCARE services in Somerset are monitoring Covid data and staffing levels to maintain and prioritise care amid national concerns about possible staff shortages. 

At the weekend, Boris Johnson tasked ministers with developing “robust contingency plans” for workplace absences, while public sector organisations were asked to prepare for a ‘worst-case scenario’ of having up to a quarter of staff off work.

Health minister Ed Argar described this as a “responsible and sensible” step for the Government to take to ensure it “considers all possible eventualities, even those that are at the very high end of the scale”.

Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group is "seeing an exceptionally high demand on all health and social care services" in the county and "an increase in staff absence". 

A spokesperson for the group says it has "carefully managed healthcare services" throughout the pandemic and will continue to "monitor the latest Covid data and staffing levels across the county to ensure we can prioritise the safety of our patients". 

Data from NHS England shows a total of 24,600 NHS staff were off work on Boxing Day across the country due to testing positive or needing to self-isolate.

On December 19, this figure was 18,800, showing a 31 per cent rise in a week.

In Somerset, the figures show Covid accounted for around 20 per cent of sickness-related absences on Boxing Day. 

Staff who had Covid or were self-isolating accounted for 88 absences at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and 44 absences at Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on December 26.

In total, 488 members of staff were off sick from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust on Boxing Day, while a total of 130 staff were absent due to illness at Yeovil’s hospital trust.

Somerset County Gazette: STAFF: A spokesperson for Yeovil Hospital said the hospital is in a "strong position with measures in place that have been tried and tested" (Image: Google Maps)STAFF: A spokesperson for Yeovil Hospital said the hospital is in a "strong position with measures in place that have been tried and tested" (Image: Google Maps)

Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, said health services are on “a war footing” after Covid-related staff absences more than doubled in a fortnight towards the end of December.

He said: “We don’t yet know the full scale of rising Omicron cases and how this will affect people needing NHS treatment but, having hit a ten-month high for the number of patients in hospital with Covid while wrestling with sharply increasing staff absences, we are doing everything possible to free up beds and get people home to their loved ones.”

On Tuesday, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, told Sky News that around six hospitals in the UK had declared critical incidents in the previous five days due to localised staff shortages.

Mr Hopson had previously said staff absences could pose a bigger challenge to the NHS than patients needing treatment for the virus as staff need to be redeployed to fill gaps.

Neil Hales, director of commissioning at Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Following the festive period, we are seeing an exceptionally high demand on all health and social care services in Somerset.

"Alongside this, we are seeing a significant increase in positive Covid-19 cases in the community and an increase in staff absence due to staff testing Covid positive or isolating.

"We are continuing to work closely with our health and care partners to manage demand and have put in place a range of measures to ensure we can continue to care for and treat patients with the most urgent healthcare needs."

He continued: "Throughout the pandemic, the NHS in Somerset has carefully managed healthcare services even with an increase of staff absences.

"In this rapidly changing environment, we are continuing to closely monitor the latest Covid data and staffing levels across the county to ensure we can prioritise the safety of our patients.

"It is important that people stay healthy and choose the most appropriate healthcare service for their needs, including visiting NHS 111 online, speaking to a pharmacist, contacting your local GP practice, or using self-care where possible if it’s not an emergency.

"There is plenty of useful guidance and information on how to stay well this winter on NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group's website." 

A spokesperson for Yeovil Hospital said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have managed our services with an increase of absences due to staff testing Covid positive or isolating.

“This puts us in a strong position with measures in place that have been tried and tested.

“We continue to closely monitor our staffing levels, prioritising the safety of our patients, following trust policies to ensure this is maintained.”

With rates of Covid-19 remaining high in local communities, the Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group has urged people to receive their Covid and flu vaccinations. 

People can book their Covid vaccinations - including their booster - on the National Booking System or look for walk-in clinics on the Grab a Jab site.

Information on the vaccination programme can be found on the Somerset CCG’s website.

Read more: Hospital visitors restrictions introduced at Musgrove and other Somerset hospitals