Letters are to be sent to hospital workers in Sandwell – thanking them for turning up for work.

Sickness levels at hospitals in Sandwell and Birmingham are so high that bosses want to praise workers who have a good attendance record.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust revealed 379 workers took long-term sick in just 12 months, with eight people dismissed for an unacceptable sickness record.

Fifteen cases of short- term sickness absence have also been investigated, leading to 11 disciplinary hearings and eight workers receiving formal disciplinary sanctions.

The trust has already introduced a service providing Indian head massages and shoulder and back massages as a means of relieving workers’ stress.

Now it plans to send the “thank you” letters in a bid to boost morale among staff.

Figures for Sandwell Hospital in West Bromwich, City Hospital in Birmingham and Rowley Regis Hospital, reveal that of those on long-term sick leave, 23 were off for up to a month, 135 for between one and two months and 75 for between two and three months.

A further 138 staff were off for between three and 12 months, while eight were off for more than a year.

Ailments included stress, anxiety and back problems. People off for 28 days or more are deemed to be long-term sick. Bosses at the trust, which employs about 7,000, will meet tomorrow to discuss the sickness levels.

Trust spokesman Helen Eden said: “We are committed to the provision of high-quality care and recognise the importance of regular staff attendance to achieve this aim.”

She said that in response to the NHS Health and Wellbeing Review the trust had developed a comprehensive approach to the management of sickness absence.