Shameful new blow for nurses

NHS workers already work long, gruelling hours to keep the nation well. And in case anyone remained unconvinced, they proved they are worth their weight in gold during the pandemic.

But now it’s believed thousands are selling their well-earned rest days to make ends meet under an official NHS scheme.

The system allows them to give up holiday time in return for extra cash – typically £100 before tax for a newly-qualified nurse.

It’s a sad indictment of the state of our nation that the rewards for such hard work are so paltry they don’t keep up with the soaring cost of living.

On top of the grubbiness of national heroes having money worries, there’s an issue of safety and wellbeing here.

Doctors and nurses do a physically and mentally demanding job. So time off to rest and reduce their stress levels is just as vital as the hours they put in at the hospital.

If they can’t recharge their batteries, it leads to burnout – and burnout leads to frazzled staff getting fed up and leaving the NHS.

During the pandemic, millions of us spent so many Thursday nights on our doorsteps, cheering, clapping and banging saucepans to remind health and care workers of how much they mean to us.

Surely it’s time to give them something more than a round of applause.