Paid leave for NHS staff who are off work with Covid-related sickness is to end in England on 7 July. The staff terms and conditions part of the Covid workforce guidance will be removed, meaning staff will no longer be guaranteed sick pay for new episodes of illness.

According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), NHS staff will also not be able to take Covid special leave for the purposes of self-isolation.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the new guidance was “temporary” and part of the plan to learn to live with Covid.

However, RCN England director Patricia Marquis said: “This decision is hugely disappointing given that Covid-19 clearly hasn’t gone away, and nursing staff continue to be disproportionately affected by the virus as they face higher risk of exposure.

“We know many of our members are suffering from long Covid, with their lives adversely affected, making them unable to work."

Under the current guidance, Covid-related absences are fully paid for all NHS workers regardless of length of service. With the change, this support is set to be withdrawn. The change is expected to have an impact on those suffering from long Covid, who are unable to return to work.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “As we learn to live with Covid, we are withdrawing the temporary NHS staff sickness guidance that was put in place at the height of the pandemic, as part of plans to move back to the normal arrangements set out in the NHS terms and conditions.

“This provides generous support for NHS staff with up to six months full pay and six months half pay, depending on length of service.”

The RCN said the decision indicates "how little the UK Government values its nursing staff".

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