The nurse who treated Covid-ridden Boris Johnson says NHS staff have "had enough" - as union chiefs warn strikes are set to “escalate” in January.
Jenny McGee resigned last year citing the Government's pay offer and "lack of respect" for the profession for her decision.
She spoke out after tens of thousands of Royal College of Nursing members staged the first nationwide stoppage in the union’s 106-year history yesterday.
Another 12-hour walkout will follow on Tuesday - and the RCN could announce new strike dates for January as soon as next week if Tory ministers don’t reopen talks over the 4.75% pay offer.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen told BBC Question Time last night: “As time moves on - unfortunately if this Government doesn't speak to us and doesn't get into a room - I'm afraid that this will escalate."
Ms McGee, who cared for the then Prime Minister in intensive care at St Thomas' Hospital, central London in 2020, said nurses "can't give the care that we so desperately want to give" - and they "just want to be paid a fair wage".
The intensive care nurse told Talk TV: "I think there's just a real concern for what's happening in our profession.
"We are terribly, terribly understaffed - we have 50,000 vacancies across this country and we are seeing that on the wards.
"We're seeing that when we're working, we do not have enough nurses on our wards.
"We feel that nurses are leaving the profession in droves.
"I think they're leaving because we've had enough, we have so much pressure and responsibilities put on our shoulders. We are busy every single shift.
"We can't give that care that we so desperately want to give and we feel that we're underpaid.
"We care very deeply about the patients that we look after but we just want to be paid a fair wage."
Ms Cullen explained the strikes could become more widespread, as not all hospitals that voted for industrial action walked out yesterday.
She said: "We started today with 46 organisations. And why did we do that?
“We did that because we wanted to make sure that we manage this strike safely and effectively for every patient, the people that I'm speaking with here tonight in this room, and every other patient in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.”
Health Secretary Steve Barclay was slammed for turning his back on nurses and patients as he refused to do anything to stop the hospital strikes yesterday.
NHS bosses and even Tory MPs demanded he stop sitting on his hands and negotiate a deal before strikes planned for next week.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, last night issued an urgent appeal for Mr Barclay to act.
“The Government cannot just sit back and let future strikes happen when patient care is on the line,” he said.
“The worry is that this is just the start, that strikes possibly being planned for January could be more severe… and that we could be in a position of stalemate for the foreseeable future.
Dame Ruth May, the chief nursing officer for England, appeared on a picket line where she backed striking nurses. She insisted ministers must reach an "urgent resolution" with the RCN.
Dr Dan Poulter, an NHS doctor and Conservative MP, argued ministers should "improve on the current offer on the table".
And Jake Berry, the former Tory chairman, warned, “I can tell you that the government offer is too low,” as pressure grew for a new deal.
