Free hospital staff meals followed nurse's break down - striker

Healthcare workers at two Newcastle hospitals are being offered free porridge

Staff at two hospitals are being given free meals after a nurse broke down when she could not pay for her breakfast, a striking nurse said.

Research nurse Catherine Marsh said the scheme followed the incident which left a colleague in "floods of tears".

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the scheme at Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Freeman Hospital will continue in December and January.

It said it was one of "a series of wellbeing offers" open to all staff.

Speaking to the PA news agency on the picket line at the Freeman, Ms Marsh said: "This was caused by a member of staff going to the restaurant, she got her porridge, she got to the till and was unable to pay.

"She was there in floods of tears.

"The restaurant staff phoned the chaplaincy and the chaplaincy have arranged free meals."

Nurse Catherine Marsh said she heard of a colleague being unable to pay for food in the hospital restaurant

A representative of the hospital trust said it was not aware of a link to "a member of staff in particular" but that it had a "wide range of support arrangements" in place.

It comes as thousands of nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland took industrial action over pay in the biggest ever walkout by NHS nurses.

Royal College of Nursing members stood on the picket line outside Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in a protest over pay

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling for a 19% pay rise for it's members and says below inflation increases are compromising care by making it hard to attract and retain nurses.

RCN regional officer Gail Hodgson, also on the picket line, said: "It's shocking when you hear stories like that.

"It's absolutely appalling in this day and age that somebody who is caring for patients and their safety can't afford to feed themselves a bowl of porridge."

The Newcastle hospitals trust added it had fridges at various locations where staff can help themselves to a sandwich, salad or chilled meal.

It said the fridges are stocked late afternoon or early evening by the catering teams, adding the initiatives were put in place by the catering department, chaplaincy team and Newcastle Hospitals Charity.