STAFF employed at NHS hospitals in Cumbria and in other health service settings took nearly 70,000 sick days over two years because of stress, anxiety and depression, shocking figures have confirmed.

A freedom of information request has revealed that total number of sick days taken by staff working for the Trust was 225,317 over the past two years with days off for stress, anxiety and depression more than double the next highest figure for infectious diseases, which includes covid.

These shocking figures come despite the NHS trust saying that the health and wellbeing of staff “continues to be a priority.”

The NHS is in crisis according to those who work in the health service with the co-chair of the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) and Carlisle GP has saying that ‘enough is enough’ within the NHS.

Strikes continue to have an impact on services with junior doctors the latest to ballot over strike action, with a walkout in March likely if they vote for industrial action.

In response to the figures, a spokesperson for the North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust said: “Over the last few years, we know that colleagues across the whole of the NHS, including the Trust have been under a great deal of pressure for a number of reasons from both a professional and personal point of view. 

“We know this can affect people in different ways so ensuring everyone has access to a comprehensive occupational health and wellbeing service has been a priority to ensure we can staff and operate our services.

“Improving our health and wellbeing offer to staff continues to be a priority based on feedback from our teams.”

The impact from the pandemic is still have an effect on NHS services, with understaffing and the longest waiting list in the health service’s history all contributing to the intense pressure on health staff.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to helping ease the pressure on the NHS and made it a priority in his new year speech saying, “NHS waiting lists will fall and people will get the care they need more quickly.”

His current plan has been criticised by Labour with shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting saying the situation was ‘completely inexplicable and the Doctors’ Association UK have called on the government to do more to help the ‘broken NHS.’

Reacting to the figures, Carlisle MP John Stevenson said: “Undoubtedly it has been a difficult time for staff and patients post covid and the Government recognises this.

“With £500m of Government funding going into speeding up hospital discharge rates and in excess of £14bn going into health and social care over the next two years, this will ease some of the difficulties being experienced by patients and staff.

“The Governments plan is two-fold. To get patient waiting lists down, the Government will focus on the workforce staffing levels needed and where and facilitate the right working environment to ensure good quality patient care.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures the NHS is facing following the impact of the pandemic and are working tirelessly to ensure people get the care they need, backed by up to £14.1 billion additional funding for health and social care over the next two years.

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