Nearly 400 new nurse training jobs to be created in Wales but will the increase be enough?
Nearly 400 more nurse training places will be created in Wales following an 8% increase in the NHS Wales training budget, Health Minister Eluned Morgan announced.
Health Education and Improvement Wales' training plan has been backed by a £281m investment package and will support 527 extra training places for a range of NHS workers - including scientists, pharmacists and nurses.
It follows weeks of strike action by nurses and ambulance staff over pay and working conditions.
Professions that will see an increase in training places includes:
Adult nurse training places increase from 1,651 to 1,892 (14.6% increase).
Child nurse training places increase from 175 to 192 (9.7% increase).
Mental health nurse training places increase from 410 to 530 (29% increase).
Midwives training places increase from 185 to 190 (up 2.7%).
Physiotherapist training places increase from 174 to 180 (up 3.4%).
Occupational therapist training places increase from 179 to 197 (up 10%).
Paramedics training places increase from 116 to 120 (3.4% increase).
Pharmacy technician training places increase from 30 to 50 (up 66.7%).
Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, said that despite budget pressures, "we are committed to investing in the NHS workforce in Wales.
“A well-trained NHS workforce with the right skills is essential to providing a sustainable high-quality care to people across Wales and improving standards in our health service."
She added: “These additional training places will deliver a workforce which can respond to the challenges of the future.
“The Welsh NHS currently has more people working in it than at any time in its history, focusing on prevention and care across every community."
Lisa Llewelyn, Director of Nurse and Health Professional Education at HEIW, said the plan will "support current and future workforce numbers."
She said: "Building on growth from previous years, the additional education and training places will mean increased numbers of a range of qualified healthcare professionals being available to deliver quality care to our population and work in Wales in a range of roles and locations.”
But will this increase go far enough?
In response to the Welsh governments announcement of the number of commissioned nurse student places, Helen Whyley, Director of RCN Wales, said the union welcomes the news, but "this in itself will not avert the current nursing workforce crisis."
She said: "The Welsh government must continue to increase nurse student places in all fields of nursing and ensure that nursing students have access to adequate financial support through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme. However, this in itself will not avert the current nursing workforce crisis.
"With over 3,000 registered nurse vacancies in NHS Wales alone, and agency spend exceeding £152m, we are haemorrhaging experienced nurses at an alarming rate. There must be more emphasis on retaining the nurses we have. If urgent action doesn’t take place soon, not only will we continue to see a decline in applications to these student nurse places, but also a continued rise in attrition rates of students during their courses.
"This action must include a substantive and restorative pay rise as well as a retention strategy that includes assurance of safe staffing levels, access to continuing professional development, and flexible working opportunities. The Welsh government needs to re-establish nursing as a respected, meaningful, well-paid profession working in safe conditions.”
Helen Whyley also pointed out learning disability nursing places have not increased. "RCN Wales welcomes the announcement of additional student nurse places for adult, mentalhealth and child nursing, but it is disheartening that learning disability nursing places have not increased again." She said.
"Given that people with learning disabilities have some of the poorest health outcomes in our communities the need for learning disability nursing skills has never been greater."
Commenting on news, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS expressed his concern that this may not attract new workers, due to the on-going strikes.
He said: “News about more training places for our much-valued nurses and paramedics is always welcome – but these groups are on striking right now, so how much confidence do we have that this would actually attract new entrants?
“Even if enough people were persuaded to work in the Labour-run NHS – which just recorded the slowest-ever ambulance response times, and Britain’s worst A&E waits and longest treatment waiting list – this is only for the long term and does nothing to address the current challenge which is driving patients and staff to despair.”