HCWs identified risk factors for occupationally acquired infections to be exposure to undiagnosed infectious patients, especially in accident and emergency wards, break-down in infection control procedures, immunonaïvety and symptomatic colleagues. A further concern was a lack of monitoring and guidelines allowing health professionals to work whilst infectious. All participants felt HCWs' health needs were perceived as of low importance and described feelings of anxiety when reporting sickness related absences which were at times received with scepticism. Staffing demands and loss of income were noted as pressures for symptomatic HCWs to come to work.