Nurses on picket lines say strike is 'heartbreaking', but Tories are 'destroying the NHS'

The Daily Mirror joined nurses today on picket lines across the country. We spoke to nurses from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, Leeds General Infirmary, St Thomas' in central London, Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

They explained why they made the heartbreaking decision to strike as they stood outside their workplace in freezing weather.

Olga Leach-Walters, endoscopy nurse and senior CPR representative at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, told the Mirror: 'It's heartbreaking to see so many of us on strike. food and hot drinks at the picket line. Nowhere else in the world are nurses treated as badly as in our country.

"The nurses literally use a food bank inside this hospital. I use a food bank myself because sometimes I don't have enough money to eat. I also go to the food bank for other nurses who are too embarrassed to do it themselves.

"I know nurses here who sleep in their cars because they can't afford gas to get home and back.

"Others have to take annual leave at the end of each month because they don't have money for gas or parking."

Tabitha Humphries said many nurses had panic attacks and cried on the job

Sarah Dykes has been a nurse since 1989 (

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Tabitha Humphries, 29, a nurse at LGI, said they had closets where stressed nurses could cry. Many people have panic attacks and cry at work. I know a lot of places have designated closets for people to go in if they need to - bit of a release and a shout out - which is sad to think about. I would like to see more commitment from the government.

"I think a lot of people feel forgotten. During the pandemic, we were heroes, but now we're the bad guys for quitting work. But if that's what it takes!"

Sarah Dykes, 51, has been a nurse since 1989 and quit the job she "loved" because of the stress she was under.

She is now responsible for training nurses at LGI in West Yorkshire.

"Nurses are leaving in droves. I've never seen it like this and I've been through nine prime ministers," she told the Mirror. "Covid broke me and I left the clinical nursing to get into teaching. I was breaking bad news...