We’ve received confirmation that there is currently a shortage of Band 5 posts for newly qualified nurses (NQNs) across Wales. Early indications suggest that up to half of this year’s graduating cohort could be left without a role when recruitment finally opens.
This comes as nursing staff continue to report unmanageable workloads, unsafe staffing levels and care being delivered in overcrowded, undignified environments across multiple health boards. Our members say the system is struggling to meet even basic levels of demand, with services under extreme and worsening pressure.
Against this backdrop, it is nothing short of alarming that Wales cannot offer employment to the very nurses it urgently needs. Losing NQNs risks further destabilising services, increasing pressure on already exhausted staff and declining patient outcomes.
Professor Sandy Harding, Associate Director of Nursing (Professional Practice) at RCN Wales, said: “This is simply unacceptable. These students stepped forward for Wales, trained through immense challenges, and now face uncertainty at the very moment the system needs them most. They deserve far better. Every NQN will be vital to meeting Wales’s care needs”.
The situation also reflects serious failures in long‑term workforce planning and undermines the Welsh government and NHS Wales’ Duty of Quality to improve the safety of care.
Sandy added: “The situation facing NQNs is deeply concerning and exposes serious failures in workforce planning. It is becoming increasingly clear that this situation is being driven by financial constraints, including the freezing of vacant posts within the local health boards. Our NHS is under intense pressure, yet hundreds of NQNs may have no posts to enter.
“The RCN will continue to demand transparency, accountability and long‑term planning from the system. We will not stop speaking up for students, for our safety critical nursing workforce, and for the people who rely on safe, high-quality care.”
We’re calling for:
- urgent clarity on the scale of the shortfall
- credible, long-term workforce planning
- immediate, system‑wide solutions to recruit, retain and deploy the nursing workforce Wales needs now and in the future.
Rhian, a third-year student from south Wales said: “As students nearing qualification, we’ve committed years of time, training and financial sacrifice with the expectation of entering the NHS workforce upon completion. It’s deeply concerning that many of us are now facing the possibility of being left without a job, despite ongoing pressures and the clear need for more nurses and midwives to support patient care.”
We’ve received assurances that students will not be penalised where posts are unavailable, including being released from any work‑in‑Wales obligations and not being required to repay tuition fee support when workforce shortages prevent them from securing employment.
