More than 300 "overworked" nurses committed suicide in seven years

The NHS was asked to do more to support its staff after the figures revealed that more than 300 nurses have committed suicide over the past seven years.

The stress and fatigue in the overworked NHS, as well as a "toxic culture" that leaves nurses afraid to talk about their mental health, has been blamed.

Lucy de Oliveira, 22, has committed suicide in 2017 while training in Liverpool.

His mother, 61-year-old Liz, told the Mirror that Lucy was afraid that mental health problems would tarnish her record.

Lucy was dying at the same time as two other jobs in addition to her nurse training and was struggling to make ends meet.

Her mother said she would have done better at McDonald's.

She said, "Executives say, we have succeeded, we are sewing." It's like saying, "I worked in a factory at age 12." It's not just because you did it.

"There is an intimidation you would not expect in the NHS."

During her training, Lucy was not paid. Her purse covered her shabby home, leaving her with £ 6 to live a month.

Liz, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, added: "In addition to three shifts of 12 hours in hospitals, she worked in a pizzeria and a retirement home.

"I can not bring Lucy in. All I can do is make change a legacy for her."

Laura Hyde, an emergency nurse at Devon's Derriford Hospital, committed suicide at the age of 27 in August 2016.

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Her family is asking the government to do more to provide mental health training and support for nursing students.

They also want a 24-hour helpline available in every hospital facility.

Laura's cousin, Liam Barnes, who launched the Laura Hyde Foundation to fight for better support, said, "Nurses love to take care of people. Laura was altruistic.

"But they are in a constant cycle of trauma.

"Pediatric nurses tell parents that their children are dead.

"They see victims of road accidents and horrible injuries on a daily basis and are constantly exposed to regular trauma and forget to take care of themselves."

Ann Burdett, 51, has committed suicide in 2016 while she was working at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

After two previous suicide attempts, she was referred to mental health services on May 19 of the same year.

Just a week later, she was dead.

His fiance Andrew Ward, 49, said, "Everyone should be aware of the stress of working for the health service.

"There should be a kind of website or blog in the health service where people can express their anxieties or give advice to others.

"It would be a solution if there was a system of mentors."

Ghost Secretary of Health Jonathan Ashworth has called for a government investigation into "alarming" numbers.

He said: "Every life lost is a desperate tragedy. The health and well-being of NHS staff must never be compromised. "

His call is supported by the Royal College of Nursing (NCR) who stated that the orientation at work was not good enough and that the conditions were deteriorating.

RCN Chief Lady Donna Kinnair said, "Nurses are under high stress levels, a shortage of colleagues and long hours of work.

"Our members repeatedly say their employers ignore or neglect mental health issues.

"They think they should" face. We must all redouble our efforts to support nurses. "

The figures, provided by the Office for National Statistics, show that 305 nurses committed suicide over the seven-year period.

The highest number of suicides recorded was 54 in 2014.

A recent study showed that nurses are at greater risk of suicide than other professions.

Dame Kinnair said: "The government and all NHS organizations need to examine in detail why nurses are far more likely to commit suicide than their male counterparts."

The Ministry of Health and Social Affairs said: "The NHS will soon outline its response to recommendations that will improve staff mental health support, including access to a dedicated confidential helpline.