STAFF shortages that led to operations being postponed at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital are being addressed, hospital managers say.

Last week some planned surgery, classified as non-urgent, was not carried out because of a shortage of sterilised surgical equipment.

This week Stella Wood, theatre sterile services development manager for the East Kent Hospitals Trust, said the William Harvey's surgical instrument sterilisation unit had been unable to cope with demand because of lack of staff.

"We had some people on annual and compassionate leave as well as some vacancies. This is a national problem," said Mrs Wood when she invited the Kentish Express newspaper to tour the unit.

The decision to restrict the number of non-urgent operations on two days last week had been made to ensure that all vital operations could be carried out, she said.

All patients affected by the postponements had been offered new appointments.

In answer to a claim by a concerned nurse who told the Kentish Express that the vacancies were caused by anger over contracts being renewed, Mrs Wood confirmed that pay scales in hospital sterile units throughout East Kent had now been standardised.

Until now pay for the same jobs in East Kent sterilisation units had varied from hospital to hospital, she said. The good news was that three new staff members had been taken on at the William Harvey's sterile unit and another nine were being interviewed.

Because the full-time staff equivalent of 20 was being increased to cope with demand,

all nine would be employed if suitable.

"We have had the equivalent of seven full time vacancies and the unit has been under a lot of pressure," she said.

Philip Blanch, of the East Kent Hospitals Trust design team, showed the Kentish Express detailed plans for changing the layout and increasing the size of the unit early next year.

Three more automatic sterilising machines would be installed, making a total of four, and more room made available for staff facilities.

Despite more automation extra staff were needed because the sterilisation process was labour intensive owing to the high standards demanded.

After being sterilised at a temperature of 134 degrees Celsius alll surgical instruments were checked twice before being sent out to the William Harvey's 10 operating theatres, outpatients', X-ray and other departments, Mrs Wood said.

The whole process took a minimum of three hours

Also all the sterilisation equipment was frequently checked to ensure it was operating properly, said Mila (mila) Mayland, the trust's sterile services lead manager.

"Every instrument we receive for cleaning is treated as it if were infected," said Mrs Mayland.

Cliff Morris, who manages the William Harvey's sterile services unit, said he was looking forward to the new developments which would be good for staff morale as well as improving the service offered.