A rise in the number of ethnic minority staff at Airedale Hospital means it now reflects the UK population.

But at 7.3 per cent, the numbers are still far behind being an accurate representation of Keighley's ethnic minority population of about 15 per cent.

According to the hospital's human resources department, however, they surpass the hospital's catchment area average - which covers Keighley, Ilkley Craven and Pendle -- of 5.7 per cent.

Figures in a workforce profile report for March to September 2005 are slightly down on last year's record figure of 7.4 per cent and a far cry from a low of 2.8 per cent in 1992. The country's black/minority ethnic population is 5.56 per cent.

Roger Pollard, Airedale NHS Trust's director of human resources, said: "The trust continues to promote career opportunities as well as its Vocational Training and Introduction to Healthcare Support Workers to all sections of the community. This is done through job fairs, open evenings and also participation in health fairs held at the Sangat Centre in Keighley."

The report says the closure of wards and transfer of Castleberg Hospital to Craven, Harrogate and Rural district Primary Care Trust in 2004 led to a reduction in staff at Airedale.

A slow in recruitment, due to the trust's financial crisis at the beginning of 2005, led to a further drop. Since July 2003 there had been an average of 28 more doctors and dentists employed by the trust -- from 164 to 192 -- while the number of nurses and midwives had dropped by 10 -- from 569 to 559.

But chief executive Adam Cairns said the figures were only snapshot data and did not give an accurate picture of the situation as it left off bank and agency staff.

Mr Cairns said staffing at the hospital needed to be addressed, with managers finding ways to strengthen and tighten up employment to ensure the hospital was operating in an efficient and cost effective manner. The report said sickness levels at the hospital had also increased over the last two years, with a rise in the number of staff on long term absence caused by stress.

The facilities department, which offers support to clinical services through capital developments, catering, laundry, portering and transport, had the highest annual average sickness rate at 6 per cent.

Surprisingly, considering the trust's current battle with a £4 million debt, the lowest sickness rate was in the finance and information department at 2.3 per cent.

Mr Pollard said managers were being more proactive in managing absence caused by stress and disability by involving Occupational Health at a much earlier stage. The trust's Sickness and Absence Policy had also been revised.

The age profile of the trust shows staff are getting older.

The peak age group had shifted from 30 to 40 years to 41 to 45 years.

Combined with an increase in staff retiring early, the report suggested it could exacerbate the problem, causing an increase in the turnover rate in ten years when those members of staff reached 55.