Staff shortages cause Teddington pool closures

4:06pm Wednesday 19th March 2008

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A Teddington hydrotherapy pool has been forced to cancel some public sessions due to staff shortages.

The hydrotherapy pool, which is part of Teddington Pool and Fitness Centre (TPFC) in Vicarage Road, can be a helpful treatment for people with muscle weakness, balance disorders and other injuries.

The pool, which is equipped with special hoists and warmer water, has to be fully supervised by a qualified lifeguard.

But because of staff shortages and the length of time criminal records checks can take some customers have had to be turned away.

Public sessions at the hydrotherapy pool cost £5 per person and a family session costs £10 for two adults and two children.

A spokesman for Richmond Council which runs TPFC said: "We have been encountering recruitment problems at TPFC, particularly in relation to leisure assistants and lifeguards.

"This has led to staff shortages and without a full complement of lifeguards for safety reasons, there have had to be occasional closures of both the main pool and the hydrotherapy pool.

"We have recently made some new appointments of staff - however, they are unable to start working for us until, quite rightly, Criminal Records Bureau and other checks have been made on them."