NURSES are under increasing pressure to leave their jobs due to years of public-sector funding cuts that have pushed them towards foodbanks and payday loan sharks, statistics revealed yesterday.

At least 1,200 calls were made to Royal College of Nursing (RCN) member support services from nurses desperately seeking help with their own welfare, sickness and disability problems between January and July this year, figures released by the union show.

Of these calls, 231 were made to ask for advice on managing debts and bankruptcy.