Hospital hit with 300 staff absent

Almost 300 staff are off sick or isolating from the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

The hospital has confirmed that 296 staff are currently isolating with Covid-related illness or self-isolating for other reasons.

It has also been confirmed that another ward has been closed to new admissions on top of the two already closed two weeks ago, despite a drop in coronavirus patients from last week.

The hospital currently has 76 patients with the virus being cared for at the hospital, down from 91 one week ago.

A spokesman for the RUH said:

“Today, we have 296 staff not at work and isolating with Covidrelated illness or self-isolating for other reasons and we have three wards currently temporarily closed for Covid reasons.”

The spokesperson added that the hospital always has some staff off sick at any one time.

Back on December 4, the RUH announced that it had closed two wards to new admissions due to a ‘significant’ increase’ in coronavirus patients.

It said then that the closure was in line with standard infection control and patient safety practice.

Dr Bernie Marden, the hospital’s medical director, said previously that the hospital was “very busy” due to “winter respiratory illnesses, a high demand for our A&E services, staff sickness and a significant increase in the number of coronavirus patients”.

He said: “We have taken steps to minimise the impact and prevent further spread of the virus, including staff and patient testing, strict hygiene precautions and social distancing.

“We always have plans in place to help us manage peaks in demand and capacity at any time of year.

“We are managing the issues we face and it is our priority to maintain high standards of care and safety and to enable other parts of the hospital to operate safely as normal.”