Covid in Wales: About 10,000 NHS staff sick or self-isolating

Staff absences are putting even more pressure on the healthcare system, Eluned Morgan said

There are currently 10,000 Welsh NHS staff off work either sick or self-isolating, the highest since April 2020, according to the health minister.

Eluned Morgan said some councils have also had to redeploy workers because of shortages in social care.

Five local authorities in south east Wales have put out a plea to relatives to help with care.

They warned that provision is likely to be limited and "may not be ideal" but "will be all that is available".

It comes as the number of people in hospital with Covid have increased 48% on the previous week.

The official statistics do not make clear whether patients were admitted for something other than Covid but tested positive on arrival - the so-called "incidental" cases.

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Speaking at a news conference, Ms Morgan said: "Just over 8% of staff are currently off work sick or self-isolating - that's around 10,000 people.

"These levels of staff sickness are putting even more pressure on our healthcare system at a time when it's already seeing incredibly high demand for emergency and medical care.

"The number of NHS staff off with coronavirus is at its highest level since April 2020."

The minister said there are now "more than a thousand Covid-19 patients in our hospitals across Wales, and that's the highest level since last March".

She added that from April carers in Wales will be paid the "real living wage" in an effort to address staff shortages.

Staff shortages have also meant "all maternity services are increasingly finding it difficult", according to the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

Last week Cardiff and Vale and Aneurin Bevan health boards both warned expectant mums that, to provide safe staffing levels, the number of sites where expectant mums can be cared for may be reduced.

RCM national officer for Wales Vicky Richards said: "Staff are burnt out. And the staff absence rate is quite high, so they are having to work extra hard.

"They are trying extremely hard to provide a service 24/7 and keep that service going, but of course with the absences being quite high that sometimes is difficult.

"Usually where services are reduced, they are only reduced for a short period of time and then recommenced as soon as safe to do so, but that decision is not taken lightly.

"I think it's important that we reassure women that services are available for them, it's just sometimes they are tweaked a little bit depending on the situation.

"But that's done with their best interests and to ensure a safe service is provided for all involved."

Maternity services are also being affected by more staff being off work

She added that going forward, the recovery phase from the pandemic would need adequate resourcing.

"We do need to invest in the conditions and the right environments to support the service and to ensure that maternity is a place that staff want to work and not get burnt out and leave the service - which is always a worry."

'Astronomically high' case numbers

Later, First Minister Mark Drakeford told Senedd members it was unclear whether recent figures that appear to show a decline in the number of Covid cases were "genuine falls" or a result of fewer people going for PCR tests because of recent changes which no longer require those receiving a positive lateral flow test to follow up with a PCR test.

Mr Drakeford said that even though they were showing a decline the figures were still "astronomically high" and that it would take "a few days yet" before it is clear whether they represent a genuine downturn.

"I just caution members on the most recent figures, they do show the start of a decline in the number of people falling ill they are still astronomically high compared to what we would have seen in earlier parts of the pandemic.

"And it is not clear as to whether or not these are genuine falls or whether they are a result of fewer people presenting for PCR tests because of the substitution of lateral flow tests in a number of contexts where previously, PCR tests would have been used."

Armed forces personnel have been helping the Welsh Ambulance Service since October

Tuesday is the first anniversary of the worst day of the pandemic in Wales - on 11 January 2021 there were 83 deaths involving Covid.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show there were 24 deaths in Wales involving Covid in the last week of 2021, the lowest weekly figure since the end of August.

This compared to 49 deaths registered in the previous week, according to the ONS, which gives details of death certificates where Covid is a contributory factor.

There were no deaths involving Covid in 10 counties in the week ending 31 December: Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr, Monmouthshire, Newport, Powys and Rhondda Cynon Taf.