November 25, 2020 4.59 pm This story is over 35 months old

Pressure mounts as 800 staff absent from Lincolnshire hospitals

And 238 COVID-19 patients
| Photo: Adobe Stock

Over 800 staff are currently absent from Lincolnshire hospitals, with some staff redeployed and more bank and agency workers being used to help cope with the pressures during the coronavirus pandemic.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals confirmed that the staff are off work due to coronavirus and non-COVID-19 reasons.

ULHT also said on Wednesday, November 25 that it currently has 238 coronavirus patients.

Martin Rayson, Director of People and Organisational Development, said: “At present we have more than 800 members of staff from across our hospitals sites who are currently absent due to COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 reasons. This represents around 10% of our workforce.

“We are taking a range of actions to ensure safe staffing of our services, including redeploying staff where appropriate, increasing our use of our bank and agency staff, and asking colleagues to support by helping with non-clinical roles at both Lincoln and Pilgrim hospitals.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Morgan, chief executive at ULHT, told BBC Radio Lincolnshire on Wednesday morning that 71 coronavirus patients were discharged between November 19 to 24.

There were 25 deaths in the same period in ULHT’s hospitals.