Nurses 'live in poverty'

Union warns of more strikes on pay in winter

- MARTIN BAGOT

NURSES are living in poverty, with many quitting as they cannot afford to stay in the profession, a union boss says.

Royal College of Nursing General Secretary Pat Cullen, speaking ahead of the RCN's annual congress, also repeated calls for the Government to reopen pay talks.

She said: "It's harrowing for our nurses, it's harrowing for our patients. We need to address the absolute crisis that we're in within the health service and the crisis that our nursing staff find themselves in.