The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) welcomes the recommendations put forth by the Health and Social Care Committee. The RCN believes these go some way to bolstering the range and influence of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 into the future.
The Health Committee's emphasis on the Welsh government identifying the full funding for the introduction of the registered nursing associate role in Wales is very helpful. The RCN commends this proactive step towards integrating new roles into the health care system, ensuring they complement rather than substitute the existing registered nursing workforce. Such measures not only reinforce the safety critical nature of the registered nurse’s role but also underscore the commitment to patient safety and innovation within the nursing profession.
The recommendation that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services issues clear guidance on Section 25A of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act is also welcomed by the RCN. Under Section 25A, health boards have a duty to “have regard to the importance of providing sufficient nurses” in all settings. Guidance will help health boards apply the duty more consistently across Wales and also open opportunities for improvement in workforce planning outside of the NHS.
The Committee’s wish to see the clarification of the consequences for non-compliance with sections of the Act and consider including provision for this in the NHS Wales Escalation and Intervention Arrangements comes at a time when quality of care in our unscheduled services is hugely challenged. RCN Wales believes this would ensure that actions are recognised and taken to ensure sufficient staff are deployed.
Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales said: “I am pleased to see the Health and Social Care Committee recognise the critical role of nursing and the significant improvements the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 has brought. RCN Wales members are rightly proud to have campaigned for this law which has done so much for patient safety.”
“That’s why I urge the Welsh government to listen to the committee’s recommendations. Many of the recommendations will help to improve patient safety. Others will shed much-needed light on how successful efforts to retain nursing staff have been. All will help assure the public that the government is doing everything possible to ensure safe and effective care.”
“I also ask the First Minister to ensure his government shows the same ambition for safe and effective care he showed when, as Health Minister in 2021, he extended Section 25B to children’s wards thus requiring the nurse staffing level on a children’s wards to be calculated using the same method as used for adult acute medical and surgical wards. Three years later, there’s been no further extension, despite the investment into work the Welsh government has made. I am calling on the government to finish what’s been started and commit to a timeline to extend Section 25B into mental health wards and across community settings.”
“The RCN remains committed to collaborating with the Welsh government and stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these recommendations, furthering the mission of excellence in nursing and health care delivery across Wales.”
ENDS
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 30,000 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 Welsh government and 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
