Stressed NHS nurses took nearly ONE MILLION days off sick with mental health problems in just eight months.

Chronic staff shortages have been blamed for the 922,210 days lost to stress, anxiety, depression and other psychiatric illnesses from July 2018 to March this year in England – a quarter of all sick days taken by nurses.

The Royal College of Nursing says there are more than 40,000 vacancies.

Kim Sunley, its National Officer for Employment Relations, said: “It’s heartbreaking but not surprising.

“Employers are taking steps to improve support for staff but it’s a sticking plaster when the greater problem is too few nurses.

“The Government missed the chance to significantly increase the number of students in the 2020/21 academic year to start addressing this problem.

“Ministers now need to explain exactly how they plan to stem the current workforce crisis in nursing, with over 40,000 posts vacant in England alone.”

The NHS Digital figures include all care settings, including hospitals, schools and the community.

(Image: Getty Images/Blend Images)

Worst hit were those who work with patients who have learning disabilities – 37 per cent of their sick days were stress-related.

The College says figures show there were 33,513 community nurses last November – 5,000 fewer than 2010 as the Tory-led coalition came to power.

One community nurse told an RCN survey: “At the end of the day you’re exhausted then come home and write up patient notes in your own time.”

A district nurse said lack of weekend cover meant patients had no support.

And another said she was looking for a new career after 25 years due to the toll on her health and family life.

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NHS Employers Chief Executive Danny Mortimer said stress sickness levels were “of concern,” admitting unfilled vacancies placed “additional strain on those trying to fill the gaps”.

“One of the key ways to overcome this is to focus on recruitment and retention,” he said. “We need a commitment from the Government to invest, particularly in areas of greatest shortage.”