SIR - We should all be grateful to the dedication of NHS personnel, especially in these times of pandemic, and born in 1948 I have never known what life is like without ‘cradle to grave’ comprehensive healthcare.

But Rowan Newman’s report (T&A January 11) details 610 staff, presumably not all medics, at Bradford Teaching Hospitals are off sick, 35per cent of them Covid related. What about the other two thirds? Is that an acceptable sick rate ?

And at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust 44per cent of staff, presumably not all medics, are off sick due to Covid related illness. What about the the other half ? What percentage of the workforce as a whole are generally ‘off sick’ and how long is the average non Covid absence compared to, say, 10 days average for Covid ?

The Deputy Director of People and Organisational Development at Airedale (you need a wide office door for a nameplate like this!) tells us we should only attend A&E if we need urgent care.

Thanks for explaining that to us. Why not organisationally develop a way of making it happen ?

Denis Spence, Mitchell Close, Idle