Hundreds of new nurses and midwives not offered NHS roles due to lack of vacancies

Hundreds of nursing and midwifery graduates in Wales have been unable to secure an NHS role, a health organisation has confirmed.

The Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) streamlining process aims to match final year nursing, midwifery and operating department practitioner (ODPs) students to an appropriate Band 5 roles across NHS Wales.

However, it was announced last week that 383 graduates remain unmatched this year due to ‘lower turnover and fewer vacancies’ alongside ‘financial constraints’.

A total of 703 graduates were able to be offered a Band 5 position within NHS Wales.

HEIW stated the unmatched graduates have received information and guidance on wellbeing support, professional registration, bursary arrangements and future employment opportunities.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales has called on the Welsh Government to ‘intervene urgently’, stressing that the shortfall of roles has caused ‘significant anxiety, uncertainty, and financial concern’ for graduates.

RCN Wales executive director of nursing Nicola Williams said: ‘We are deeply concerned that newly registered nurses in Wales could be left without a job when they graduate.

‘These are highly skilled professionals who are ready to work, support patients and strengthen our NHS.

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‘We are calling on the Welsh government to intervene urgently as there are a number of solutions that can be put in place to provide each graduate with a job.

The RCN has suggested greater transparency on workforce planning and job availability is needed, as well as coordinated action across Welsh Government, HEIW and NHS organisations.

‘We know the difference registered nurses make to patient outcomes and to improving the lives of people across Wales,’ said Ms Williams.

‘At a time when we are spending large amounts on temporary staffing, our members continue to tell us of the significant pressures they face every day, with increasing demand and insufficient staff, we cannot justify a position where newly qualified nurses are unable to secure employment.’

The union has also warned the Welsh Government that a ‘failure to act’ will undermine efforts to transform health and social care services in Wales.

Ms Williams added: ‘If we are serious about transforming services, shifting care out of hospitals and building a sustainable workforce for the future, we must make full use of all of the nurses we are educating here in Wales.’

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Cymru said it is ‘disappointed’ that a number of midwives have been left without a role despite maternity services being ‘under pressure’.

RCM Cymru’s director Julie Richards said: ‘It leaves us questioning how many newly qualified midwives, who are ready and willing to work, can be left without jobs while services continue to struggle with workforce shortages.

‘It’s disappointing that there are insufficient jobs for all graduate midwives when we desperately need them in the workforce to ease the staffing crisis in our maternity services.

‘But until we bring every one of the newly qualified midwives into a role where they are caring for women and babies, it’s just not enough.

‘We’re willing and committed to working with HEIW and health boards to ensure there are sufficient jobs in a system, which is currently so over-stretched.’

The midwifery union is also calling on the Welsh Government and NHS Wales Health Boards to ‘urgently’ progress workforce planning and assurance actions.

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Chief executive of HEIW Alex Howells said: ‘We recognise that this outcome will be disappointing for those graduates who have not secured a post through the initial phase of streamlining.

‘However, the Graduate Employment Summit demonstrated the strength of the partnership approach across NHS Wales, with organisations coming together to identify practical actions to support graduates, explore further opportunities where possible and strengthen arrangements for the future.

‘These graduates represent an important part of the future NHS Wales workforce and we remain committed to supporting their future careers.

‘Alongside supporting those affected by the current position, partners will also be working together to strengthen workforce planning and improve opportunities for future cohorts of nursing, midwifery and ODPs students across Wales.’

Earlier this month, a nursing officer for Wales warned that nursing students are still facing issues finding employment after qualifying but advised that the workforce is ‘stabilising’.

Paul Labourne, who works in the office of chief nursing officer (CNO) for Wales Sue Tranka, was speaking at the International Home Care Nurses Organization (IHCNO)’s 5^th annual global conference held in London.

Speaking at the conference to delegates from 30 different countries, Mr Labourne said: ‘We still have issues…filling places with domestic students.

‘Our demographic changes are such that if everyone leaving school in 2035 went into health and social care, we’d still have issues.’

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Meanwhile, England’s CNO has recognised ongoing issues relating to a lack of jobs for newly registered midwives and suggested a ‘solution’ was being worked on.

The RCM told Nursing in Practice that the situation was one of its ‘greatest concerns’ and impacting graduates’ wellbeing.

Duncan Burton was speaking during a session at this year’s NHS ConfedExpo when he highlighted ongoing challenges in maternity care services and the need to ‘make sure we’ve got the right number of midwives’ and other staff working in these settings.

He recognised there was an ‘issue’ in terms of having enough jobs for newly graduating midwives, but said: ‘We’re working on a solution to that at the moment.’