Wirral NHS workers' absenteeism rate is among the lowest in the region, latest figures reveal.

The levels are in contrast to a new report that showed nationally, more than 45,000 NHS workers call in sick each day - around one and a half times the absence rate seen in the private sector.

An NHS Wirral spokesman said: "For the first quarter of 2009 - between April and June - the absence level was 3.8% which is within the national target of 4%.

"We are committed to reducing levels of absenteeism and have a range of initiatives to address the issue.

"These include providing flexible working to ensure a good work life balance, support for staff who are carers, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles.

“In addition, we offer staff a wide range of health and well-being advice and support which encompasses psychological, emotional and physical well-being. These are all backed by a range of policies which are designed and geared to support NHS staff across Wirral.”

Research carried out across the UK suggested the quality of patient care is also being affected by obesity, smoking and poor mental health among staff.

Researchers found hospitals with worse staff health are less productive and have higher rates of superbug infection, unnecessary use of agency workers and higher patient death rates.

Details of what is being described as the first national audit of NHS staff habits were published in The Times newspaper.

The audit's compiler, leading occupational health expert Dr Steve Boorman, told The Times that staff health must become a core standard, with all trusts judged annually by the health regulator.

"It is ironic that the NHS is trying to focus on the public health agenda yet not making it available to its own staff, because staff should be exemplars," he said.

"The key finding of this review is that health and well-being of staff is very important to the quality of patient care, and there are good reasons for prioritising investment in it."

More than 80% of the 11,337 NHS staff who took part in the review's survey said their state of health affects the quality of the patient care they deliver.

NHS trusts that take health and well-being seriously perform constantly better on measures of quality, patient safety and efficiency, the study found.

The Department of Health said it welcomed Dr Boorman's report as an "important initiative".

But Karen Jennings, head of health at Unison, said managers needed to take a more responsible attitude to staff.

"That means having good occupational health services, which are patchy at the moment. It also means decent canteens with good nourishing food which is not deep fried," she said.