Nurses on strike in Worthing tell of 'horrendous' working conditions with patients treated in corridors and on makeshift beds

Nurses at Worthing Hospital joined colleagues and fellow Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members from across Sussex for a second consecutive day of industrial action today (Thursday, January 19). They were greeted with car horns of support as they demanded better pay and working conditions.

Beth Havies, a registered nurse at Worthing Hospital, said: "We are striking for better conditions, better pay and safer conditions.

"At the moment, 83 per cent of shifts aren't fully staffed and that is resulting in patients being left in corridors because there's not enough beds. It is desperate measures at the moment down here. Today we are really grateful for all the support we've had in Worthing."

Beth said this winter has been ‘the worst we've seen’ in the NHS, adding: “This is the first year I've seen patients being cared for in corridors. We've had patients in makeshift beds on wards. I've never seen it like this, it's horrendous.”

Beth said the government ‘needs to improve social care funding desperately’.

“There isn't enough money in social care, let alone the NHS,” she said. “There's not enough carers in the community and not enough nursing home beds.

"Why would people be carers if they are being paid minimum wage? It's a really stressful job and takes a lot out of you emotionally. People would rather work in supermarkets, which has better pay.

"Pay desperately needs to be improved. Otherwise, we are going to lose more staff over the years.”

Beth reiterated that staff levels were safe in hospital today, with nurses on hand to deal with emergencies.

"I am really overwhelmed with how it's gone, it's been excellent,” she said. “So many [members of] staff have come out, including some from other areas to support us. There’s been a really good turn-out and so much support from the public. I hope that makes a difference.

“The morale within the hospital has been down but this today has helped pick us up.”

Over the last two days, nurses could be seen outside hospitals in Chichester, Brighton, Haywards Heath, Bognor Regis, Hastings and Eastbourne with staff from the East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trusts taking part.

The aim of the strikes was to put pressure on the government to increase pay for nursing, negotiations have been ongoing throughout last year.

Nicola Hunter, a health visitor in Worthing, said the strike was ‘not just about pay’.

"It's about supporting colleagues on the ward,” she said. “It's about training, which needs to change. Students are coming through and they need supporting.

"We are here for the same thing which is patient safety. It's just not happening. The government are not prepared to be reasonable so we've had no choice. There's loads of us here today to fight our corner.

“The support has been amazing. People have been bringing us cakes and drinks.

“[The government needs to have a] conversation with the RCN. It isn't just about pay for a lot of nurses. If they had a conversation, they would understand a bit more about that. They are burying their heads in the sand and hoping it's going to go away."

Verity Davidson, a community nurse in Worthing, said ‘things are getting worse every week’, especially for vulnerable, housebound patients, who are ‘not getting the care they need’.

Verity added: “We feel very passionately that something has got to be done for our patients. We need more nurses.

"We've got to encourage people into nursing by making sure it is fairly paid. Palliative care is a big problem at the moment. People now are wanting to die more at home because who would want to die in a hospital ward?

"We want to fully support those patients as much as possible but we do not have the staffing or resources to be there for people at home, at the end of their life, to give them the care they need and deserve. That's becoming even more of a problem on a daily basis."

Ellie Nicholson, a registered nurse in A&E, said she joined the strike for ‘better pay, safer staffing and to help out my colleagues’.

"It's really good today,” she said. “I was working yesterday but came out for the hour I was allowed. Today will be bigger and better because it's the last one.

"I feel like every car going by is beeping, with people waving. Cars have done laps so they can beep more than once. It's been amazing, so thank you everyone."

Philippa Gregory, a deputy sister on the admissions unit in Worthing, said the overriding message from striking staff was that ‘staff shortages cost lives’.

She added: “We’ve had amazing public support, with people honking their horns and cheering for us. It's brilliant."

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