A survey carried out by the Community District Nursing Association (CDNA) has found that nurses are being routinely left out of pocket when using their own cars to visit patients.

Almost every nurse questioned (96.1%) expressed their concern about the cost of using their own vehicle for work and the short-fall between the cost of fuel and the amount they are reimbursed.

In the CDNA survey of members across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, nurses claimed to be more concerned about their car costs than their workload.

The Chancellor is expected to announce changes to the way in which employees can claim back their expenses for running a car for work in the Budget on March 12.

The CDNA fears that the Authorised Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAP) may be reduced.

Chair of the CDNA, Rowena Smith, said: “Our members have been concerned for some time that their motoring costs are not being met by their expenses.

"This survey shows just how bad the situation has become.

"While we support any reasonable effort to reduce carbon emissions, it must not be done at the expense of nurses or their patients.

"Nurses along with many other British workers cannot simply change the way they use their cars for work – it is built into their contract and penalising them for not having a company car is nothing short of a stealth tax on employment.”