NURSES are leaving the NHS due to shocking levels of racist abuse and understaffing, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned.

Ministers were given an “urgent reality check” as a survey showed  35 per cent have experienced bullying, harassment or abuse at work.

One in seven nursing and midwifery staff said they have faced discrimination at work in the past 12 months.

Two in three of those said it was on the grounds of their ethnic background.

The RCN said its research lays bare the impact of workforce shortages, with low pay continuing to be a significant issue for those on the front line of care.

Just 27 per cent of respondents said they are satisfied with their level of pay.

More than half said they worked unpaid overtime every week.

Nearly a third said they often think about leaving their current organisation.

RCN executive director Patricia Marquis said: “It is disturbing and saddening to see the levels of bullying, abuse, and discrimination aimed at staff as they care for patients.

“This should send shockwaves through the NHS, government, and society.

“Racism must be unacceptable in our healthcare system, and employers and government must take a strong stance on stamping this out.”

The survey also showed that staff shortages are a huge concern.

Only 31 per cent say there are enough staff to enable them to do their job properly.

Nearly half — 45 per cent — said that they felt unwell due to work-related stress.

And about one in six came to work despite feeling not well enough to perform their duties — a 9 percentage point increase from 2020.

Ms Marquis said: “When a predominantly female workforce experiences such shocking levels of attacks, it’s vital that along with zero tolerance to those who perpetrate this, we must look at what sits behind it.

“Along with the abuse, we’re seeing staff hit with high levels of stress in environments where staff shortages are forcing many to work unpaid overtime to keep services running.

“The government must act and deliver an urgent investment in beds and staff to cut waiting times, which have recently hit record levels, and end the frustrations that cause some people to lash out at those trying to deliver care in the most challenging of circumstances.”

She warned that government’s unexpected announcement to abolish NHS England — along with some 10,000 jobs — “must see a keen focus on the staff who are working harder than ever to deliver the care patients need and deserve.

“A failure to take care of staff will only add to pressures, risk increased levels of abuse, an exodus from the workforce, and put patient care at ever-increased risk.”  

Keep Our NHS Public co-chair Dr John Puntis said the savings from abolishing NHS England dwarf the amount of funding needed to fund nursing properly.

He said: “The RCN highlights how lack of investment in NHS staff and facilities translates into misery not just for patients but also for hard-pressed and underpaid nurses.

“Breaking this vicious cycle will take more than saving a small amount of money from the abolition of NHS England and driving outsourcing of services to the private sector.

“The lesson from the Blair-Brown era is that a very significant increase in funding is now needed if Labour has any hope of restoring the NHS to an extent that makes a noticeable difference to the electorate.”

Claire Goodwin-Fee, CEO and founder of Frontline19, a non-profit organisation which provides free mental health support to front-line NHS workers, said: “The results of this NHS staff survey highlight the very urgent need for a workforce plan and removing barriers to the recruitment and retention of front-line staff.

“Without meaningful support for staff to cope with the pressures of the work, it is inevitable that they will become burnt out and leave in large numbers — only exacerbating the understaffing cycle.

“After all they have given and continue to give, providing decent and pre-emptive wellbeing interventions is the very least the NHS can do.”

The Department for Health and Social Care was contacted for comment.