THE “nightmare” of an NHS in crisis and nearing collapse must be top of the new prime minister’s agenda for action, the head of the UK’s biggest nursing union said today.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says nursing staff are “on their knees” struggling to cope as the NHS faces “its most challenging state for decades.”

“Ambulances piling up, waiting lists through the roof and nursing staff on their knees is the nightmare reality in our NHS,” said RCN general secretary and chief executive Pat Cullen.

“Without enough staff to deal with the ever-mounting crisis, patients are suffering and the NHS is increasingly close to collapse,” she said.

“The latest data shows there were 47,000 unfilled nurse jobs in the NHS — rising sharply.

“A simple way to recruit and retain nursing staff — and to keep patients safe — is to pay them fairly for the invaluable work they do. But after a decade of real-terms pay cuts, nursing staff are leaving the workforce in their droves. Many simply can’t afford to be a nurse any longer.”

For the first time in its 106-year history the RCN is to ballot its members on strike action. Voting begins on September 15.

“In under two weeks we will be balloting our members on industrial action,” said Ms Cullen. “Public support for nurses striking has risen while three-quarters say there aren’t enough NHS nursing staff for safe care. The new prime minister must put the NHS and addressing the workforce crisis at the very top of their agenda.”