Will the NHS continue to function in an influenza pandemic? A survey of healthcare workers in the West Midlands, UK.

ABSTRACT:

Background

If UK healthcare services are to respond effectively to pandemic influenza, levels of absenteeism amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) must be minimised. Current estimates of the likelihood that HCWs will continue to attend work during a pandemic are subject to scientific and predictive uncertainty, yet an informed evidence base is needed if contingency plans addressing the issues of HCW absenteeism are to be prepared.

Methods

This paper reports the findings of a self-completed survey of randomly selected HCWs across three purposively sampled healthcare trusts in the West Midlands. The survey aimed to identify the factors positively or negatively associated with willingness to work during an influenza pandemic, and to evaluate the acceptability of potential intervent

SUBMITTER: Damery S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2690584 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature