Over half of nurses returned while still suffering from symptoms which could affect their practice.
Nursing and other healthcare staff with long Covid are being forced to return “too soon”, says Unison.
Anxiety, fear and “shockingly bad” treatment from managers are among the reasons staff gave for returning to work before they felt well enough, says the union.
Research published during the union’s annual health conference in Liverpool gives a snapshot of the challenges frontline staff with long Covid face as they try to return to work.
In a wider survey of health workers, 1,900 of the respondents including healthcare assistants, nurses, porters and clinical support staff, reported having had or still experiencing long Covid symptoms.
More than two in three (68%) were back in the workplace while suffering with symptoms including breathlessness, fatigue, brain fog and aching joints.
Eight per cent of those surveyed have been so poorly they’ve not been able to go back to work at all. Almost a quarter (24%) say they’ve fully recovered.
Poor management.
Almost one in ten (9%) have been asked to attend a formal absence hearing, and 2% report being threatened with disciplinary action or even the sack.
Unison is calling for long Covid to be seen and treated as a disability so that staff can access the support required.
Head of health Sara Gorton said: “Long Covid must be seen and treated as a disability so staff with the condition are protected and supported to return to work. Some health workers are being punished for being ill and risk being driven out of the health service, just when they are needed the most.
“That so many NHS staff are back at work despite still being poorly illustrates their dedication to their jobs. But some are likely to be returning too soon because they’re worried that managers will turn against them if they take the time they need to recover fully. This is no way to treat staff who’ve given their all to get the nation through the pandemic.
“Health leaders need to understand the impact that poor management of long Covid is having on retention and take immediate action.”
