Responding to the latest data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, RCN Wales Director Helen Whyley said:
“Whilst the headline shows an increase in nurses and midwives registering, what lies beneath this is a different story. Wales has 2717 registered nurse vacancies. Nursing in Numbers, RCN Wales recently published report highlights a reliance on agency nursing, with a 21% increase in spending on nursing and midwifery staff since 2021-2022. The report shows nursing staff are working 69,877 additional hours every week. This is the equivalent of an extra 1,863 full-time posts.
"We can also see from the NMC figures that Wales have had an increase in nurses aged 55 and over. These highly skilled and experienced nurses will be retiring in the coming years leading to an even bigger number in nurse vacancies.
"Recruitment has not kept up with patient need. More investment is needed in nursing, the profession which makes up 40% of the NHS Wales workforce.”
Notes to editors
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world with over half a million members in the UK, including around 29,500 members in Wales. The RCN promotes the interests of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies, and voluntary organisations.
For more information, contact the RCN Wales press office at 02920 680 769 or email mediawales@rcn.org.uk
