Sussex is facing a week of strikes and industrial action as thousands of NHS workers down tools in a row over pay.

Unison members working for the NHS will stage a four-hour stoppage on Monday, from 7am to 11am.

This will be followed by action short of a strike from Tuesday to Friday when members will stop working through their breaks and make sure they take them.

The GMB, Unite and Royal College of Midwives are also taking action, with pickets at hospitals including Brighton, Hove, Worthing and Haywards Heath.

Thousands are expected to walk out, including nurses, paramedics, therapists, cooks, cleaners, healthcare assistants and admin staff.

Unions have been in talks with NHS managers and contingency plans are in place to ensure patient safety during the action. Unison regional organiser Caroline Fife said it was the first time in 32 years that NHS workers had taken strike action over pay.

She said: “Staff in Sussex have had not had a pay increase at the level of inflation for five years and living in an expensive area means they cannot make ends meet.

“The cost of living in Sussex to cover rent and bills means some full-time workers now have to miss meals and having a bath. “NHS staff providing services to the community and often working extra hours for free should have a reasonable standard of living.

“This is not a decision that they have taken lightly but there comes a point when they need to make a stand.

“Staff are working under increasing pressure and many are now opting to leave the NHS simply because they can’t afford it.

“This, in turn, leads to a growing recruitment problem for NHS trusts and puts even more stress on the staff who remain.”

The union says the action, which is taking place across the UK, is due to a Government decision not to implement the 1% pay rise of the NHS Pay Review Body.