A "no questions asked" pantry has been set up in Liverpool Women's Hospital as the soaring cost of living takes its toll.
Tinned foods, pasta and rice, non-perishable goods and sanitary products are among the contents of the new food bank set up for struggling nurses at the Crown street hospital.
The NHS Foundation Trust said the provisions had been "very well received by staff".
But Felicity Dowling, of the Save Liverpool Women's Hospital group which aims to protect the specialist hospital from further cuts, said: "It's a sign that people can't cope. They turn up at work hungry, or they're hungry during the day. What does it say about how people are paid in hospitals?
"The only good thing you can really say about it is that it shows people caring about each other. It shows solidarity. But they shouldn't need it.
"The canteen in the House of Commons can get a decent meal for £2.50. Why can't our nurses? It's much better to have a cooked meal than something out of a tin, and these are the people we expect to work 13 hour shifts."
Michelle Turner, chief people officer and deputy Chief Executive at Liverpool Womens Hospital, said: "Kindness is at the heart of Liverpool Women’s and we are strongly committed to all aspects of staff health and wellbeing with many initiatives in place to support each other.
"We know with the pressures of the current financial climate, like many other people our staff, partners, volunteers and students may be finding things more difficult at the moment, particularly at this time of year.
"We decided to set up a staff pantry to provide help to anyone who may need it - no questions asked. The pantry consists of sealed and dry foods as well as other essential items such as sanitary products which can be accessed by staff 24/7. The running costs of the pantry is managed through our staff health and wellbeing fund as well as relying on kind donations of items from staff who are in a position to donate and donations from other partners in the city.
"The Pantry is just a small gesture from the Trust to support some of our colleagues who may need that little extra help and support in these challenging times. So far it has been very well received by staff, volunteers and students and we will continue offering it for as long as it is needed."
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