Over the past week, RCN Wales has raised the alarm about a deeply troubling situation: hundreds of nursing and midwifery students approaching graduation may have no jobs to enter, despite NHS Wales services facing unprecedented pressure. Early indications suggested that up to half of this year’s graduating cohort could be left without a role when recruitment finally opens.
This is a moment of profound uncertainty for students who have given years of their lives to join the NHS workforce. It’s also a warning sign of the consequences of long-term workforce planning challenges in Wales.
However, we’ve now been advised that the delay in opening the streamlining process is intended to give health boards more time to explore every possible option for making additional posts available.
This is welcome reassurance – but it does not diminish the anxiety students are experiencing right now. Their stories show the human cost of uncertainty, and why clarity and action remain urgently needed.
“It was daunting and stressful… but the future of becoming a qualified nurse outweighed the negatives” – Carolyn, South Wales
Carolyn worked as a HCSW for almost 20 years before leaving her fulltime job to become a mature nursing student. She told us: “I risked financial uncertainties whilst supporting my family and running my home in a cost of living crisis. It was a daunting and stressful time, but the future of becoming a qualified nurse and gaining a job in what I loved doing outweighed the negatives.”
reaches
Now, as shethe end of her degree, she describes the impact of streamlining delays as: “Extremely concerning and upsetting… heartbreaking.”
Students like Carolyn stepped forward for Wales. They deserve far better than prolonged uncertainty – and they deserve to see the posts they were educated for materialise.
“Becoming a nurse definitely takes your soul” – Kat, North Wales
Kat’s journey into nursing began after the loss of three important people in her life. She and her family reorganised their entire lives so she could train: “My husband had to change his work pattern to nights… he’s been the sole earner throughout this time.”
She describes the reality of training: “Four years studying, hours in placements you don’t get paid for, abuse thrown at you, coming home exhausted and not seeing each other.”
And now, instead of stepping into the job she loves, she faces the possibility of unemployment: “Knowing you’ve got these skills and could be helping and being told it may not now happen is very disheartening.”
Her son’s words cut to the heart of this crisis: “‘You’ve worked so hard and you’re not going to be working in the job you love.’”
These are the voices Wales must listen to as decisions are made in the coming weeks.
“Leaving this guaranteed income would cause stress… I was managing the house, on placement and doing university work” – Simon, Wrexham
Simon came to nursing from a completely different world. He told us: “Prior to starting on my nursing adventure, I was the branch manager for a national tool hire business. Leaving this guaranteed income would cause stress along the way financially and on top of this my wife's chronic illness became worse. I was managing the house, on placement and doing university work.”
Like so many mature students, Simon took a leap of faith – reshaping his family life, absorbing financial strain and committing fully to the profession Wales urgently needs. Now, instead of moving into the role he has worked so hard to reach, he faces the same uncertainty as hundreds of others across Wales.
His experience is a stark reminder that behind every “student nurse” is a person who has already sacrificed, adapted and persevered. Wales cannot afford to lose people like Simon.
“Anyone who dedicates three years to studying… does so to ultimately work (in) that role” – Rhian, South Wales
Rhian always knew she wanted to be a midwife. She made enormous sacrifices to pursue that calling: “Spending much less time with family and friends, missing important life events… giving up job security and a stable income… taking on parttime work alongside fulltime placement hours.”
She imagined entering a profession where she could provide “safe, compassionate and person-centred care.” Instead, she now faces “a real fear that after everything I’ve invested, I could be left unemployed or returning to nonclinical work just to make ends meet.”
She highlights a painful contradiction: “You constantly hear and observe understaffing and pressure within maternity services, yet there is a lack of available posts.”
This disconnect must be addressed – and the current review of posts must ensure that midwifery graduates are not left behind.
A system under extreme pressure
NHS Wales services remain under worsening pressure. Staff report unmanageable workloads, unsafe staffing levels and care being delivered in overcrowded, undignified environments.
Against this backdrop, the idea that Wales might not be able to offer roles to newly qualified nurses and midwives is deeply concerning.
We recognise that financial constraints, including the freezing of vacant posts, have contributed to this situation. But we also welcome the commitment from health boards to review available posts and work towards matching the number originally commissioned.
This work must move at pace. The stakes are too high for delay.
What must happen now
RCN Wales is calling for urgent clarity on the scale of the shortfall, credible, longterm workforce planning that prevents this situation from recurring, and immediate, systemwide solutions to recruit, retain and deploy the nursing workforce Wales needs now and in the future.
Students must not be penalised for a situation they did not create. They must not be left in limbo, forced out of Wales, or pushed into nonclinical work simply to survive.
These students stepped forward for Wales during some of the most challenging years in NHS history. They did everything asked of them. Now Wales must step forward for them and ensure that the commitment they have shown is met with opportunity, not uncertainty.
This is a moment of profound uncertainty for students who have given years of their lives to join the NHS workforce. It’s also a warning sign of the consequences of long-term workforce planning challenges in Wales.
However, we’ve now been advised that the delay in opening the streamlining process is intended to give health boards more time to explore every possible option for making additional posts available.
This is welcome reassurance – but it does not diminish the anxiety students are experiencing right now. Their stories show the human cost of uncertainty, and why clarity and action remain urgently needed.
“It was daunting and stressful… but the future of becoming a qualified nurse outweighed the negatives” – Carolyn, South Wales
Carolyn worked as a HCSW for almost 20 years before leaving her fulltime job to become a mature nursing student. She told us: “I risked financial uncertainties whilst supporting my family and running my home in a cost of living crisis. It was a daunting and stressful time, but the future of becoming a qualified nurse and gaining a job in what I loved doing outweighed the negatives.”
reaches
Now, as shethe end of her degree, she describes the impact of streamlining delays as: “Extremely concerning and upsetting… heartbreaking.”
Students like Carolyn stepped forward for Wales. They deserve far better than prolonged uncertainty – and they deserve to see the posts they were educated for materialise.
“Becoming a nurse definitely takes your soul” – Kat, North Wales
Kat’s journey into nursing began after the loss of three important people in her life. She and her family reorganised their entire lives so she could train: “My husband had to change his work pattern to nights… he’s been the sole earner throughout this time.”
She describes the reality of training: “Four years studying, hours in placements you don’t get paid for, abuse thrown at you, coming home exhausted and not seeing each other.”
And now, instead of stepping into the job she loves, she faces the possibility of unemployment: “Knowing you’ve got these skills and could be helping and being told it may not now happen is very disheartening.”
Her son’s words cut to the heart of this crisis: “‘You’ve worked so hard and you’re not going to be working in the job you love.’”
These are the voices Wales must listen to as decisions are made in the coming weeks.
“Leaving this guaranteed income would cause stress… I was managing the house, on placement and doing university work” – Simon, Wrexham
Simon came to nursing from a completely different world. He told us: “Prior to starting on my nursing adventure, I was the branch manager for a national tool hire business. Leaving this guaranteed income would cause stress along the way financially and on top of this my wife's chronic illness became worse. I was managing the house, on placement and doing university work.”
Like so many mature students, Simon took a leap of faith – reshaping his family life, absorbing financial strain and committing fully to the profession Wales urgently needs. Now, instead of moving into the role he has worked so hard to reach, he faces the same uncertainty as hundreds of others across Wales.
His experience is a stark reminder that behind every “student nurse” is a person who has already sacrificed, adapted and persevered. Wales cannot afford to lose people like Simon.
“Anyone who dedicates three years to studying… does so to ultimately work (in) that role” – Rhian, South Wales
Rhian always knew she wanted to be a midwife. She made enormous sacrifices to pursue that calling: “Spending much less time with family and friends, missing important life events… giving up job security and a stable income… taking on parttime work alongside fulltime placement hours.”
She imagined entering a profession where she could provide “safe, compassionate and person-centred care.” Instead, she now faces “a real fear that after everything I’ve invested, I could be left unemployed or returning to nonclinical work just to make ends meet.”
She highlights a painful contradiction: “You constantly hear and observe understaffing and pressure within maternity services, yet there is a lack of available posts.”
This disconnect must be addressed – and the current review of posts must ensure that midwifery graduates are not left behind.
A system under extreme pressure
NHS Wales services remain under worsening pressure. Staff report unmanageable workloads, unsafe staffing levels and care being delivered in overcrowded, undignified environments.
Against this backdrop, the idea that Wales might not be able to offer roles to newly qualified nurses and midwives is deeply concerning.
We recognise that financial constraints, including the freezing of vacant posts, have contributed to this situation. But we also welcome the commitment from health boards to review available posts and work towards matching the number originally commissioned.
This work must move at pace. The stakes are too high for delay.
What must happen now
RCN Wales is calling for urgent clarity on the scale of the shortfall, credible, longterm workforce planning that prevents this situation from recurring, and immediate, systemwide solutions to recruit, retain and deploy the nursing workforce Wales needs now and in the future.
Students must not be penalised for a situation they did not create. They must not be left in limbo, forced out of Wales, or pushed into nonclinical work simply to survive.
These students stepped forward for Wales during some of the most challenging years in NHS history. They did everything asked of them. Now Wales must step forward for them and ensure that the commitment they have shown is met with opportunity, not uncertainty.
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