Stress and bullying are blamed as ‘nurses pushed to breaking point’

The Royal College of Nursing’s survey of 8,000 nurses and healthcare assistants found seven in 10 reported increasing stress at work, a third said they had experienced harassment or bullying from patients or their families and more than half had considered leaving their jobs.

The union will meet on Friday to discuss next steps in action over plans to overhaul the NHS pension. The survey found only a third would stay in the NHS scheme if contributions rose by three per cent or more.

Fewer than one in three believed nursing would continue to offer a secure job – a huge fall from 74 per cent when the survey was last carried out in 2009.

RCN chief executive Peter Carter said the findings were “extremely worrying”.

“Nurses are clearly hugely concerned about the not only the current state, but also the future of their profession,” he said.

“Equally worrying is the high numbers of nurses and healthcare assistants experiencing bullying. This is completely unacceptable and all NHS staff should be able to care for patients, while feeling safe and properly supported by employers and without the threat of bullying, harassment and violence.”

Dr Carter defended himself yesterday after suggesting relatives of the elderly should be encouraged to help to care for their loved ones in hospital after backing an end to restricted visiting times.

“We would never suggest that relatives perform tasks that nurses are trained and paid to do, or that they should be compelled to carry out any task,” he said. “What we would like to see is flexibility to allow relatives to help make patients comfortable, such as extending visiting times.”

Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, branded Dr Carter’s suggestion “scandalous.”

“I think it’s an appalling indictment on society if we are now asking relatives of sick patients to provide the essential care that they are entitled to, very often at the end of life,” she said.