Disgruntled hospital staff in Beckenham say they are putting on brave faces for the sake of sick patients despite battling financial turmoil.

Their employer ISS is introducing fortnightly pay on May 9 leaving some NHS cleaners, security staff and porters cashless for weeks.

News Shopper went to Beckenham Beacon today to speak to ISS staff, but not everyone made it.

Nigel Edwards, 48, is a security worker who was unable to afford his train ticket to work this morning.

Instead he was forced to use an annual leave day, granting him time to try and scrape together some cash.

"It is getting to breaking point for me," he told News Shopper from his home in Gillingham. "I am just trying to hold on.

"I am really stressed out. I can’t pay my mortgage and I can’t get to work, and I can’t pay petrol."

He added: "Right now I don’t know how to get in. I don’t know long how it will take to get out of this. This is really stressing me."

ISS employs workers at hospitals in South London and elsewhere, and recently announced it was restructuring its pay scheme for contract workers under the name "Project Greenfield".

The company said they offered loans to employees to cover the interim period and insisted they would "not withhold any money that is payable to any employee".

Other staff members, who refused to be named, spoke to News Shopper from outside the building.

"It does f*** with your brain I tell you," one man, who has been a porter for two decades, said.

"I struggled to come in today. I just have a few quid left. It is ridiculous.

"I will have to try and borrow food from somewhere and I will probably go to my sister's."

Another long-term porter told News Shopper staff were staying professional for the sake of the hospital.

"The patients haven’t robbed us," he said. "I’m too embarrassed to tell you what I earn.

"I am ok for this week but next week I don’t know. Why should I have to use my holiday because it’s not my fault."

He added: "With all due respect if this was nurses or GPs the whole country would know about it."

The porter was last paid on April 26 and he must wait until May 9 for his next paycheck, despite surviving week to week.

A News Shopper front page clipping about Princess Royal University Hospital staff recently protesting over ISS pay changes is stuck to the wall of the porter reception.

The worker who put up the article said if ISS can afford to offer bridging loans then they can afford to pay what workers are owed.

"It is our money and we want it," he added. "We all have loved ones, how are we supposed to survive? They are basically stealing our money."

Another fed up employee said: "It makes you think why do I bother coming in. Why go to work today when I won’t be paid."

An ISS statement referring to pay changes states: "Currently we operate fifteen different pay cycles which is complex to manage. To prepare us for the transition to the new payroll system, from May 9 we are moving to just one fortnightly pay cycle and one monthly pay cycle.

"We strongly believe this will benefit our employees as it will give more clarity on what an employee will be paid, and when, as there will be more time to check and process pay.

"Changing any payroll system and process has its challenges.

"This change will affect every ISS employee nationally and we are implementing a focused and comprehensive communications plan to ensure that all our people are aware of the change, understand how it will impact them personally, and that they seek the support ISS is offering to help them through the change."