NHS 'hit by staff sickness levels'

The quality of patient care is also being affected by obesity, smoking and poor mental health among staff, according to the study.

Researchers found hospitals with worse staff health are less productive and have higher rates of superbug infection, unnecessary use of agency workers and higher patient death rates.

Details of what is being described as the first national audit of NHS staff habits have been published in The Times newspaper.

The audit's compiler, leading occupational health expert Dr Steve Boorman, told The Times that staff health must become a core standard, with all trusts judged annually by the health regulator.

"It is ironic that the NHS is trying to focus on the public health agenda yet not making it available to its own staff, because staff should be exemplars," he said. "The key finding of this review is that health and well-being of staff is very important to the quality of patient care, and there are good reasons for prioritising investment in it."

More than 80% of the 11,337 NHS staff who took part in the review's survey said their state of health affects the quality of the patient care they deliver.

NHS trusts that take health and well-being seriously perform constantly better on measures of quality, patient safety and efficiency, the study found.

The audit comes as figures show the number of claims against the NHS for clinical negligence has risen by 11%. Data uncovered by the Conservatives also reveals a rise in the amount paid out by the NHS for claims, from £661 million in 2007/08 to £807 million in 2008/09.

The Department of Health (DH) said it welcomed Dr Boorman's report as an "important initiative".