TORY austerity is wrecking public health as hospitals struggle with more and more patients exhibiting poverty-related illnesses, nurses warned yesterday.

Almost four in 10 nurses have treated patients for malnutrition or food poverty-related illness, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) revealed as its congress got under way in Glasgow at the weekend.

A similar number said they had seen patients struggling with health issues relating to inadequate or unsafe housing.