Montrose Infirmary sources say the upheaval and uncertainty over its long-term future is leading to higher stress-related staff absence rates.
NHS Tayside has confirmed there has been a rise in the number of workers signed off with stress-related illnesses following the decision to temporarily close Montrose Royal Infirmary in April.
Job uncertainty is understood to be the reason for the increase.
It comes after doctors were advised in a meeting that their long-term future is still in doubt even once the unit is opened again.
The community maternity unit at Montrose reopened last month and the GP ward will reopen for admissions this week.
The Courier previously met a group of nursing staff based in Montrose who said “silence is speaking volumes” over the ward and patients may be feeling the difference in their care.
One of the nurses said: “The belief is all the Montrose staff are at Brechin providing care, but that’s not the case we’re at Whitehills in Forfar, Arbroath Infirmary, Little Cairnie (in Arbroath), Stracathro, and there’s a skeleton staff at Brechin, and the public need to know that.
“Some of us can be at a different place from one day to the next without notice, or can be in one ward one day and moved to another.”
The nurses believe the Montrose situation is contributing to the rise in stress-related time off.
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the health board cannot comment on staff absences for confidentiality reasons.
But she added that new initiatives are being set up to support workers who are gradually being introduced back into a working environment.
The spokeswoman said: “NHS Tayside has a promoting attendance at work policy which covers all employees.
“The policy supports the development of healthy, safe and supportive working environments and ensures that staff are supported from the first day of their absence from work to make the quickest recovery possible.”