MORE than 33,000 working days have been lost to Long Covid among ambulance staff in Cheshire and the rest of the North West region.

The availability of staff has been "badly affected" by the lasting effects of the virus with ambulance staff forced off work after experiencing symptoms weeks after their initial infections, it has been revealed.

A Freedom of Information request made to the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus shows that between March 2020 and September 2021, 33,654.65 full time equivalent days were lost due to staff experiencing Covid or Covid-related sickness more than 28 days after contracting the virus.

In one case a member of staff was absent for 544 days, with four others for over a year.

Overall 398 staff members were absent from work from March 2020 to September 2021 due to Covid-related sickness, for more than 28 days in at least one episode.

According to the most recent ONS statistics an estimated 1.2 million people are living with Long Covid, with fatigue, shortness of breath, loss of smell and difficulty concentrating reported as the most common symptoms.

While the trust has stated that they have made adjustments for affected staff and that they are working to support their mental health and wellbeing, the revelations have raised questions about the negative impact that Long Covid continues to have on the region's essential public services.

The APPG on Coronavirus is calling on the government to recognise Long Covid as an occupational disease and for the introduction of a compensation scheme for frontline workers.

Barbara Keeley, Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, said: "These statistics demonstrate the urgent need to recognise Long Covid as an occupational disease, provide formal guidance to employers on the issue and create a compensation scheme for key workers who have been unable to return to work.

"Many of these workers exposed themselves to the virus while saving others during the darkest days of this pandemic."

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "These figures show the scale of the impact that Long Covid is having on people's lives and their ability to work and provide for their families. Many of those suffering are frontline workers who we all stood and applauded last year."

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust says staff who continue to suffer the effects of Long Covid have been redeployed to alternative roles or have had "workplace adjustments put in place" such as reduced hours.

It says it is undertaking a review of staff who have been absent for a prolonged period to assess what further support can be offered on a case-by-case basis.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus is conducting a cross-party parliamentary inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic