More than two in five Cheshire NHS staff felt ill due to work-related stress as the coronavirus pandemic took hold last year, according to a health service survey.

The annual NHS staff survey has revealed that 44 per cent at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, 44 per cent of workers at the Countess of Chester Trust, and 41 per cent of those with the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Trust said they had felt unwell in the past 12 months as a result of work-related stress.

The survey also found that nearly one in five staff members across these trusts are considering leaving the NHS — including people considering retiring or taking a career break and those considering moving to a job outside healthcare, or in healthcare but outside the NHS.

Prerana Issar, chief people officer for the NHS, said there needs to be a sustained focus on healthcare workers' physical and mental health.

She said: "Given the high level of work-related stress for staff caused by the pandemic, we need to maintain our focus on health and wellbeing and give them the support they need during recovery to help us to maintain care for patients."

Exacerbating the situation is that nearly half of staff across Cheshire's NHS have gone to work despite not feeling well enough to perform their duties.

By trust, the figure was 47 per cent at the Countess, 44 per cent at Warrington and Halton Hospitals, and 42 per cent at the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership.

This has contributed to a small drop in overall pay satisfaction year-on-year, with 38.25 per cent of staff satisfied with earnings last year, compared to 37.25 per cent this year.

Care minister Helen Whately said while elements of the annual staff survey responses are "encouraging", there is more work to be done.

She said: "We will help staff recover from this pandemic, with investments in mental health support and professional development, along with our commitment to recruiting more doctors, nurses and health support workers so our NHS has the staff it needs."