Would NHS staff go to work during a flu pandemic?

A survey of health care workers has revealed that as many as 85% may stay off work if an influenza pandemic did take hold of the country, according to researchers at the University of Birmingham. The results of the survey, published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, suggest that levels of absenteeism may be significantly higher than current official estimates and that 'willingness' to work would play a stronger role than 'ability' in driving health care workers' decisions as to whether to go to work or not. A team of researchers at the University of Birmingham carried out the survey in which 1032 healthcare workers responded to questions about the factors that may influence their decisions to work during an influenza pandemic. They were also asked what interventions might be effective in persuading them to work. Responses suggest that healthcare workers' likelihood of working may differ by job type. While doctors were more likely to say they would attend, nurses and ancillary staff were more likely to say they would stay away. The team note: "It is essential that health services are able to manage the major demands that will be placed upon them.