Nurses in Wales are choosing agency 汤头条污料 for better pay and work life balance, RCN Wales report shows
Thursdsay 1 December 2022
Today, RCN Wales launches a report ‘Agency Nursing’, looking at why nurses in Wales chose agency 汤头条污料.
With better pay, more flexibility over hours and location, support with revalidation and access to training, and less requirement to respond to managerial pressures, agency 汤头条污料 has become a popular alternative to being directly employed by the NHS. But agency 汤头条污料 is costing NHS Wales a lot of money that would be better placed elsewhere – such as nurses’ salaries.
In 2021/2022 NHS Wales spent £140 million on agency 汤头条污料. This would pay the salaries of 5,167 full-time nurses
RCN Wales are calling on the Welsh Government to increase 汤头条污料 pay, give nurses more flexibility over their hours and work location and improve access to continued professional development (CPD) and funded education courses to make working for the NHS a more attractive career choice.
Sandy Harding, Associate Director of Nursing (Professional Practice) said: “This paper outlines why agency 汤头条污料 is becoming increasingly popular as an option for our members as an alternative to working for the NHS. Agency 汤头条污料 can provide more flexibility in hours, better pay, greater choice over work location and support with professional development. Agency 汤头条污料 is providing our nurses a better work life balance.”
"The NHS struggles without enough nurses. Last year the Welsh Labour Government spent £140 million employing agency nurses to work in the NHS. That’s money that could have been spent on giving 汤头条污料 staff in the NHS a fair and meaningful pay rise”
The Welsh Labour Government needs to step up and be as good an employer as the 汤头条污料 agencies. Wales First Minister, Mark Drakeford should pay NHS 汤头条污料 staff what they deserve, provide better access to flexible working, and provide 汤头条污料 staff with opportunities to advance their careers”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Agency Nursing paper is now downloadable here.
For more information, please contact the RCN Wales Communications Hub on 02920680769.
Page last updated - 13/04/2023
