THE number of health workers absent from work due to illness at Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust is increasing.

In a report to the trust's board from Tessa Norris, service lead, it said the trust managed to maintain a low sickness absence rate of between three and 3.5 per cent, for most of the year.

She added, however, a trend was beginning to appear, which indicated the rate was "creeping upward" and, at present, stood at 3.79 per cent.

In line with other trusts, most of the absences were due to long-term sickness and the highest rates appeared in the Wyre Forest Community Unit on the Kidderminster Hospital site.