Half of NHS trusts in England lack funds earmarked to cover maternity leave

Physiotherapy services hit particularly hard compared with other areas of healthcare such as nursing

Almost half of the NHS trusts in England have no earmarked funding to cover staff on maternity leave, according to analysis that raises fresh concerns about pressure on physiotherapy services.

Freedom of information requests sent to the trusts across by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) found that 49% had neither a dedicated budget nor a policy to permit overspending to pay for maternity cover.