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Covid: NHS staff sickness has 'huge impact' on care



One in 10 staff at some Welsh health boards are off sick or self-isolating, BBC Wales has been told.

The NHS Confederation said staffing problems were having a "huge impact".

It said the overall NHS Wales absence rate was between 8% and 9%, but some services have up to half their staff absent.

Monthly absence rates in December are usually about 5%, but Aneurin Bevan, Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Betsi Cadwaladr health boards
have rates of about 10%.

Welsh NHS Confederation director Darren Hughes told Wales Live the NHS was in "the same storm but different parts will
definitely be in different boats", with absence rates higher in areas hit hardest by coronavirus.

"We're seeing staff having to self-isolate because family members have got Covid, or people with caring responsibilities for
people self-isolating, so it's having a big impact on the front line if you have one in 10 staff roughly off, but in some
services a third or half the staff off," he said.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has 12.6% of staff off sick for all reasons. It said its absence rate was always historically
higher than other services because of the nature of emergency work and its physical and emotional challenges.

Mr Hughes said there had been a "huge impact" on NHS activity, with staff shortages making things such as communication with
patients' families harder.

"I think we're running at the moment - because it's much more difficult to provide the services we ordinarily would provide -
at about 50 to 60% of capacity," he said.

"The staff would really like to be doing more than they are. But to provide services in this Covid-adjusted way is a huge
challenge."

On Monday, Health Minister Vaughan Gething said there were 1,800 Covid-related patients in Welsh hospitals, the highest number
recorded.

"We're seeing infection rates going up, and this is going to have a real serious impact on our ability to care for you at home,
for your family," Mr Hughes added.

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