Hundreds of new NHS workers employed in Sheffield at peak of virus crisis

More than 600 new NHS workers joined healthcare services across Sheffield during the first peak of the coronavirus crisis, new figures show.
More than 600 workers joined the fight against Covid-19 in Sheffield.More than 600 workers joined the fight against Covid-19 in Sheffield.
More than 600 workers joined the fight against Covid-19 in Sheffield.

The government has praised the contribution made by new and returning healthcare workers during the pandemic – but experts say action is needed to address recruitment concerns long term.

A total of 559 new members of staff were installed at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in April, along with 25 at the Sheffield Children’s Trust and a further 37 new workers at the Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust.

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The biggest increase in workers was among nurses, whose numbers swelled from 4,108 to 4,313 at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS has said many new starters will have been student doctors or nurses who were fast tracked into employment to help fight the virus.

Health thinktank the Nuffield Trust has warned the NHS could now face problems with retention, overseas recruitment, and sickness absences due to stress or burnout in the wake of the crisis.

Dr Billy Palmer, a senior fellow at the think tank, said: "What is crucial now is that we persuade these new staff to stay by giving them good prospects and a positive environment.

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"We can't let a wave of people coming in turn into a wave of people leaving in a few years' time."

Across England, the figures show there were 12,839 extra members of NHS staff in April, of whom 3,008 were professionally qualified clinical staff such as doctors and nurses.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said: "This pandemic has shown how proud the entire country is of all our brave health and care workers, and what an essential role they play in society.

"We made the commitment of 50,000 more nurses by end of this parliament, and I’m determined we will meet it."