Liverpool nurses strike: Staff shortage causing patient neglect, says nurse

Nurses are striking in a row over pay

Nurses on a picket line in Liverpool have said staff shortages mean patients are being neglected.

Nurses at Aintree University Hospital are taking part in the largest action of its kind in NHS history.

"Patients aren't getting their teeth brushed, they're lying in their own waste because there aren't enough of us," said Kelly Hopkins who added low wages were affecting recruitment.

The UK government said the RCN's 19% pay rise demand was unaffordable.

Staff nurse Ms Hopkins, 46, who has been a nurse for 25 years said she felt "sad" when she went in to work.

"I have connections with the food bank and there are more and more nurses using the food bank, which is just not acceptable," she said.

"They're coming in to work to care for other people and no-one's caring for them.

"They're having to use food banks, they're coming in cold, they're going without food to feed their children, it's just crazy."

Nurses began joining the picket line in Liverpool from 07:30 GMT

She said she was motivated to strike over safe staffing levels and there were thousands of job vacancies at the NHS but it was struggling to attract new workers.

"The wards are understaffed, which is affecting patient care," she said.

"I came into nursing to give good nursing care and we can't give it because there's not enough of it.

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"Patients aren't getting their teeth brushed, they're lying in their own waste because there aren't enough of us, we can't split ourselves in two, especially on the wards.

"Unless we stand up and say something, it's just going to get worse."

Staff are providing some urgent care, but routine services are likely to be disrupted

Another nurse on the picket line, Pamela Jones, said she was striking after seeing "astronomical" changes during her 32-year career as a nurse.

"The public need to understand the pressures that everyone's under," she said.

"You've only got to come into A&E and see the queues, there's no beds."

The action is the first of two day-long strikes over pay - a walkout will also take place on 20 December.

Staff will provide some urgent care, but routine services are likely to be disrupted.