Thank you very much for contacting me about extending safe staffing levels for nurses.
My colleagues and I in the Welsh Conservatives wholeheartedly support the extension of s.25B of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016, to include community nursing and mental health inpatient settings. In Wales, we are acutely aware that understaffing in health settings will mean not only a nursing workforce which is overworked and tired, but also patients whose safety will be compromised.
I was shocked by the number of cases in Welsh Health Boards where understaffing has led to deep concerns about patient safety and has even led to injury and death. From a shortage of midwives in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s maternity services, to shortages in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s vascular and emergency services, it is clear that severe staffing pressures are ongoing and leading to serious deficiencies in care. Specifically for mental health, reports into Tawel Fan and Hergest Units in North Wales, which highlighted inadequate staffing, should not be ignored.
Welsh Conservatives’ own research has also highlighted unsafe staffing levels in Wales’ Accident and Emergency units, and it is clear that the Welsh NHS workforce is facing burnout after several years of a pandemic, alongside increasing waiting lists and pressure in emergency care. I am therefore deeply disappointed by the Labour Welsh Government’s lack of support in this area as it would focus the Government’s efforts to increase student places and ultimately support the workforce.
Rest assured, my colleagues and I in the Welsh Conservatives will continue to press the Minister on this important issue.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me.