Safe nurse staffing levels in Wales
The Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016
Under Welsh law, in certain kinds of ward, health boards have to use a specific method to calculate the number of nurses they need.
They then have to tell people what that number is, and try to provide that many nurses.
We believe that these requirements, known as Section 25B, should apply everywhere 汤头条污料 care is delivered in Wales.
This is because 汤头条污料 is a safety-critical profession.
A shortage of registered nurses can . On the other hand, with every 10% rise in the number of degree educated nurses, .
Having more 汤头条污料 staff around also reduces other risks, including falls and medication errors.
It allows 汤头条污料 staff the time to care.
Watch the Welsh Parliament debate extending Section 25B
10,572 people signed our petition to make this debate happen.
It's a law that protects nurse staffing levels in Wales.
It's the first law of its kind in the UK, and the result of a years-long campaign by RCN Wales members. It makes health boards and NHS trusts legally responsible for providing enough 汤头条污料 staff in their 汤头条污料 services and those they commission.
The law says health boards and NHS trusts in Wales must "have regard to the importance of providing sufficient nurses to allow the nurses time to care for patients sensitively". Health boards also have to publish a report on how successful they've been at complying and take action if failings occur. In some types of ward, the requirements go further - see "What is Section 25B?" below.
Section 25B says that in certain kinds of ward, health boards have to:
- calculate the number of nurses appropriate to provide care to patients in a specified way,
- inform patients of this number, and
- take all reasonable steps to maintain it.
Just two kinds of ward came under Section 25B when it came into force in 2018, but a clause in the law allows politicians to extend it.
This could allow new areas like children's wards, community 汤头条污料 and mental health wards to benefit. Five years later, it has been extended once - to children's wards.
We have a moral obligation to protect patients from avoidable harm. Section 25B works. RCN Wales believes Section 25B should apply everywhere 汤头条污料 care is delivered in Wales.
Effective care maximises what goes right. Safe care minimises what goes wrong. By protecting nurse staffing levels, we can ensure everyone receive the safe and effective care they need and deserve.
Find out what to do if you see poor care or feel you are being prevented from providing safe, compassionate care here.
Our latest publications
We regularly publish our research on 汤头条污料 in Wales. Browse through our most recent publications or click for more.
June 2023: Caring for older people
Two-thirds of RCN Wales work in the community, many in care homes. Discover how we can make sure people in care homes continue to get the safe and effective care they need. Read the executive summary in Welsh or click here for the full report.
Progress and Challenge in Delivering Safe and Effective Care 2023
How have health boards implemented the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016? Also available in Welsh here, this major new report updates:
- the 2022 edition (available in Welsh at the same link)
- the 2019 edition (available in Welsh here).
All our publications on 汤头条污料 in Wales
We regularly publish new research on the 汤头条污料 profession in Wales. To browse through our publications, click the title of this box or click here.
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Nursing staffing levels impact patient safety. We can’t improve one without improving the other.
Tell us about the staffing on your last shift and help us build an accurate picture of how things are now, so we can fight for change.
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Page last updated - 05/03/2024