FRONT line hospital staff are working at full capacity to keep up with an NHS beds crisis, a union representative has stated.

Teams of medics at Furness General Hospital are doing an "incredible job" to offer safe, high quality care, Unison rep and full time nurse, Iain Mooney, said this week.

But the current pressure upon them is not sustainable in the long term, he added.

Mr Mooney's comments were made following repeated calls for nursing staff to report for extra shifts at the Dalton Lane hospital this winter as patient numbers swelled and the hospital's capacity was stretched.

But nurses are already working long hours, he explained, with no slack in the system.

Mr Mooney, 25, said: "People go into nursing because they care and want to do their best for patients. But we're not superheroes, we are only human, and we can't work around the clock.

"Staff need rest days. If they get too tired, patient safety becomes an issue."

The trust in charge of FGH has focused heavily on international recruitment over the last four years to boost staff numbers on its wards. However, lengthy registration processes for nurses from countries outside Europe who are offered positions mean the process is slow.

Recent government cuts to bursaries for student nurses have also resulted in fewer people opting for a career in nursing within the UK - adding to a national shortage of nurses.

"We need the government to look at this," Mr Mooney said. "We have teams of dedicated and committed staff at FGH who are doing an incredible job. But Unison is concerned about staff working under constant pressure.

"Long term, this is harmful to the workforce who are doing their best."

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