STAFF absence due to stress and anxiety rose by more than a quarter at the Royal Bolton Hospital during the first coronavirus wave.

New figures show the equivalent of 23,835 full-time staff days were lost due to sickness at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust between April and June.

Of these, 9,633 (40 per cent) were because of stress, anxiety, depression, or other psychiatric illnesses.

That was an increase of 27 per cent compared to the same period last year, when 7,590 days were lost for these reasons.

Mental health charity Mind said it is "worrying but not surprising" that such sick days among NHS staff increased, as many frontline workers were forced to spend time isolated from their families.

Susan Masters, policy director at the Royal College of Nursing, said a fundamental investment is needed to "grow a depleted workforce" and avoid a further increase in stress and sickness levels.

An NHS spokesman said more than 400,000 NHS workers accessed a health and wellbeing programme encouraging staff to look after their physical and mental health during the first wave. An extra £15m will pay for more staff support.