Contingency plans for NHS staff

Dr Helen Carter said plans are in place to tackle staff absenteeism

The West Midlands NHS has contingency plans in place in anticipation of staff being absent from work with swine flu.

The region accounts for more than half of all swine flu cases in England, with 1,154 cases being reported. The figure for England stands at 2,236.

A spokeswoman said cover can be provided should 30% of its staff be ill and she also appealed for the community to help family and friends.

Some hospitals have set up triage areas to cope with complaints of symptoms.

Dr Helen Carter of NHS West Midlands said staff absenteeism would put the service under pressure.

But she added plans were in place to tackle it.

'Flu friends'

She said: "We would like to stress that the current understanding is that this is a mild form of influenza.

"However, the NHS has been planning for many years for staff absenteeism and ways that we can deliver a quality service to the public with reduced levels of staffing."

She said staff were prepared to be redeployed to other areas of work should the need arise.

She also advocated the use of "flu friends" - people who can take care of family or friends who may contract the virus.

Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham and Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield have set up triage areas.

Heartlands has been getting 80 people a day complaining of swine flu symptoms despite NHS advice to stay at home and ring a doctor if someone suspects they may have the virus.

The West Midlands outbreak has mainly centred on Birmingham after pupils at a primary school in Handsworth began to fall ill in April.

In swine flu "hotspots", doctors are starting to treat patients without testing them.