Around 20 nurses have been struck down by flu at Airedale Hospital, according to chief nurse Susan Franks.

And, with every hospital bed full, she admits that staff are struggling to cope.

But Mrs Franks said Airedale NHS Trust would have to be in dire straits before it would consider using agency nurses to plug the gaps.

She was speaking after the Government released figures showing the National Health Service is spending £216 million a year on agency nurses. Temporary staff are needed to make up a shortfall caused by the number of nurses leaving the profession and falling numbers of young people choosing nursing as a career.

Mrs Franks said the Airedale Trust relies on "bank" nurses, some of whom it already employs part-time and are willing to take on extra hours, and others who do not want to give a regular commitment to a full time job but are happy to help in emergencies.

Mrs Franks admits that bank nurses are being used to cover vacancies, some of which the Trust has been struggling to fill for the last year. She said a shortage of nurses is a national problem with staff specialising in mental health being in particular demand.

Mrs Franks said: "Like every other Trust we experience problems in trying to fill vacancies with permanent staff and the use of bank nurses has gone up. But compared to other trusts Airedale has minimal problems."

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