THE director of public health in York has come under fire for choosing to take time off work as the coronavirus crisis worsens in the city.

City of York Council’s director of public health, Sharon Stoltz, has been criticised by residents who feel she could not have picked a worse time to take leave.

But Ian Floyd, the council’s interim head of paid services, said planned leave was being allowed to "support staff wellbeing".

Kelsey Dobson, who set up a petition after her aunt Marie Dean was told she could not attend her late husband Colin’s funeral, said: “This seriously calls into question the credibility and reliability of the people who should be guiding our city through this pandemic and supporting those who are going through times of need.”

Kelsey tried to contact Ms Stoltz by email on Friday (April 10) and got a bounce back out of office reply saying Ms Stoltz was on annual leave until April 20 and to contact Fiona Phillips, the assistant director, who was herself on leave until April 14, or Anita Dobson, the council’s nurse consultant in public health.

Kelsey said that Anita Dobson did reply to her, but she was alarmed that both Ms Stoltz and Ms Phillips had chosen now to be off work.

Kelsey said: “It’s extremely disappointing and concerning that the director of public health, who stated that the decision to refuse immediate family members from the funeral service of loved ones was under constant review and that she was ‘listening to distraught families’, is actually on annual leave until April 20.

“This means that she is uncontactable until the day of my uncle’s cremation, and therefore cannot claim to be listening and working with families. At a time of crisis, it is appalling that City of York Council feel that they can go beyond government guidance, detrimentally impacting grieving families as a result, and then allow key decision-makers to take prolonged absence from work immediately after.”

Mr Floyd said: “Our staff and partners have been working hard to respond to the demanding situation of the coronavirus outbreak since late January this year.

"Staff continue to work around the clock to ensure that services, support and advice is resilient to added pressure and following the latest government advice.

"Our crisis management response is structured to withstand planned staff annual leave and any unexpected absences, such as absence due to staff sickness. All directors are supported by assistant directors, as well as the wider crisis management structure, which ensures services are maintained and decisions made throughout our response to coronavirus.

"To support staff wellbeing over the coming weeks and months, we are working where possible to allow planned annual leave to continue to go ahead.

"Our teams understand that in responding to a crisis they must be flexible, working longer hours and shortening planned annual leave if necessary.”