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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Drop in number of adult nursing student places risks crisis
March 21, 2010 12:00 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have said that the Government is risking a future nursing crisis by cutting the number of Adult Nursing student places in 2010/11.
The figures, provided by the Welsh Assembly Government show that in 2009/10 875 Adult Nursing Places were commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government. However, this has dropped by 14% for 2010/11 to only 749. Both these figures include 80 'return to practice' places. There is concern that this may not be an obtainable figure with the result that there could be as few as 669 nurses graduating in 2013.
The NHS Wales Annual Operating Framework commits NHS organisations to a 3% cut in certain staff each year up to 2013. If this cut was to be applied to nursing staff it would mean a cut of 2,247 nurses by 2013.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister Peter Black said:
"There is already an issue with the number of Nurses leaving the profession and the age profile of our nursing staff. If these nurses are not replaced by newly trained graduates then a crisis is going to develop."
"The response of the NHS to previous shortages has been recruitment of staff from overseas, however this is expensive and also unfair on the countries that these nurses come from, who have their own health workforce requirements."
"In my visits to NHS facilities it is obvious that the system is creaking under the weight of financial pressures and understaffing. Existing staff are being asked to work far in excess of recommended hours and so far they have responded magnificently to it. However, we cannot run the NHS on staff goodwill. There needs to be long term planning to ensure that proper staffing levels are achieved at all levels. That is why this cut in nursing training places is so shortsighted.
"I urge the Minister to reverse these cuts so that we have enough staff to enable the NHS to function as efficiently as possible."
ENDS
Note: The number of Welsh Assembly Government commissioned Adult Nursing places is as follows:
2007/08 - 800 (including 60 Return to Practice)
2008/09 - 850 (including 60 Return to Practice)
2009/10 - 875 (including 80 Return to Practice)
2010/11 - 749 (including 80 Return to Practice)
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