The latest Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register report showed an increase in nursing professionals on the register.

Responding to the data report, RCN Wales Associate Director (Professional Practice) Sandy Harding said:

“Wales’ nursing workforce is improving, with 41,452 nurses and midwives on the register – that’s 2.4% more than a year ago. This increase reflects the dedication of our health care staff and the impact of focused recruitment efforts.

“Despite this growth, Wales still faces a deficit of around 2,000 registered nurses needed to meet current health and care demands, a shortfall that underscores the need for continued, urgent action.

“This year, 1.5% more professionals in Wales left the register than the previous year, with half of all leavers citing retirement and risking the loss of vital skills and experience. Others leave the profession due to burnout, ill health and unsustainable workloads.

“Meanwhile, we cannot depend on international recruitment alone to fill workforce gaps. Many internationally recruited nurses say they’re planning to leave the UK due to low pay, lack of career progression, difficult working conditions or a desire for a better work-life balance.

“These same challenges also affect UK-educated nurses, contributing to low morale and high attrition – particularly among those in the early stages of their careers.

“Alarmingly – yet unsurprisingly, given the challenges faced by nursing staff – less than a quarter of leavers in Wales would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery.

“To build a sustainable and resilient nursing workforce in Wales, we must invest in training, improve pay and conditions, and create working environments that support retention, progression, and wellbeing for all nursing professionals—now and into the future”.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The latest Nursing and Midwifery Council register data report showed that:

• Wales’ nursing workforce has reached a record high, with 41,452 nurses and midwives on the register – 2.4% more than a year ago
• 1,463 professionals in Wales left the register between April 2024 and March 2025, which is 1.5% more leavers than the previous year
• only 18.5% of leavers in Wales would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery
• ethnic diversity continues to grow among those registered in Wales, with 1.5% increase in professionals from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.

Our annual publication Nursing in Numbers sets out the strengths and vulnerabilities of the nursing workforce in Wales, and includes NHS workforce statistics with an estimate of the total registered nurse vacancies in NHS Wales, which currently stands at 2,001.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the including around 30,500 members in Wales. The RCN promotes the interests of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape health care policy.

For more information, contact the RCN Wales communications and media team on 02920 680 769 or mediawales@rcn.org.uk