Responding to the Welsh Government's announcement of an additional £145 million investment in NHS Wales, RCN Wales Executive Director Nicola Williams, said:
"RCN Wales welcomes this additional investment in NHS Wales and the Welsh Government's commitment to reducing waiting times and improving patient care and outcomes.”
"Investment in surgical and diagnostic hubs, alongside funding for essential maintenance has the potential to significantly improve our populations health, reduce delays, improve experiences and increase NHS capacity. However, buildings and equipment alone will not reduce waiting lists. Delivering sustainable improvements depends on having the right, appropriately trained and skilled workforce in places and nurses will play a pivotal role in the provision of safe, effective and efficient care to ensure that the surgical and diagnostic hubs fully achieve the ambition. Therefore, funding robust workforce modelling and plans is critically important "
"Today's announcement comes as RCN Wales joins health care leaders, employers and government representatives at the Graduate Summit to discuss employment opportunities for this year's nursing graduates. We welcome the Welsh government's focus on this issue and the recognition that urgent action is needed."
"Nursing staff are telling us consistently and across Wales, that, despite there being no vacancies there is insufficient staff to meet increasing patient complexity and demand and nurses are going without breaks and feel most shifts that they are unable to give the care that patients' need. AIt is therefore deeply concerning that newly qualified nurses have faced uncertainty about securing substantive employment. Wales cannot afford to lose the talent, skills and commitment of a generation of nursing graduates that our health and care services desperately need."
"RCN Wales are pleased to be part of todays discussions to determine the meaningful solutions to enable every nursing graduate who wishes to work in Wales to begin their professional career here. Retaining newly qualified nurses is not only the right thing to do for graduates; it is essential for the future sustainability of NHS and social care services in Wales."
"We also welcome the Welsh government's commitment to strengthening primary and community care. Nurses are central to delivering care closer to home and helping people stay healthier for longer. Any shift in resources towards primary care must be matched by investment in the nursing workforce needed to deliver these ambitions."
"We look forward to working with the Welsh government and partners across the health service to ensure this investment delivers lasting improvements for patients and supports the nursing workforce on which those improvements depend."
