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Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Doctors and dentists in Wales get above-inflation pay hike
Doctors and dentists in Wales get above-inflation pay hike One union said the uplift 'comes nowhere near addressing' pay erosion over recent years Unions representing medics in Wales have shared their disappointment (Image: Western Mail ) NHS Wales doctors and dentists are set to get a 4% pay rise, it has been confirmed. Others working for the NHS will see a 3.6% increase, with each rise surpassing the current inflation rate of 3.5%. Jeremy Miles, Welsh Health Secretary, confirmed that both pay awards will be backdated to 1 April, 2025. The rises stem from recommendations made by the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) and the Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) for 2025 to 2026. The increases exceed the rate of inflation which rose to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March and the highest since January 2024. They also align with those given to NHS staff in England. However, unions representing medics in Wales have shared their disappointment, calling the rises "too little, too late" and stating they come "nowhere near addressing pay erosion". Royal College of Nursing executive director Helen Whyley said: "The pay award announced by the Welsh Government today (22 May) comes almost two months after the Pay Review Body (PRB)'s report was delivered to the UK government. "The PRB's recommendations were accepted and nursing staff employed on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts in Wales have been awarded a 3.6% pay increase across all bands, backdated to April 1, 2025. Article continues below 'This announcement has come far too late, leaving nursing staff waiting once again for recognition they urgently deserve. 'At a time when morale is already low and the pressures on the health service are immense, this delay only deepens the sense of disillusionment among our members.' Dr Iona Collins, chair of the British Medical Association's (BMA) Welsh Council said: 'The BMA has repeatedly provided evidence to reflect that NHS Wales doctors are undervalued and overworked. "The published pay increase of 1% above inflation comes nowhere near addressing the pay erosion of at least 19% over the last sixteen years. 'The DDRB and Welsh Government fail to recognise that doctors continue to experience the worst pay erosion in the public sector, which is not acceptable. "Similarly, the underfunding of the GMS contract leaves general practice in a precarious position, with financial remedy required immediately. 'Doctors are trying to get through the longest waiting lists on record and sacrificing their own health to do so, with high levels of exhaustion and burnout reported. "Now more than ever, doctors need pay restoration, which will help the profession feel appreciated for routinely going above and beyond. 'We will now digest the DDRB report and further consult with our members to gauge their views and consider our next steps. We have requested an urgent meeting with the Cabinet Secretary.' Article continues below
Wales Online
14-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Warning 'exodus' of migrant nurses could be devastating for Wales
Warning 'exodus' of migrant nurses could be devastating for Wales 'Many came here to work in good faith, but are now telling us they feel exploited, undervalued, and shut out of the system' In the NHS alone, there are 2,000 registered nurse vacancies in Wales, according to RCM. (Image: WalesOnline/ Rob Browne ) New UK immigration measures could accelerate "an exodus of internationally educated nurses", the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned. The body said it could have "potentially devastating consequences" for health and social care services in Wales. On the third day of annual Congress held in Liverpool this week, the RCN expressed grave concerns that the current UK government policies are creating an increasingly unwelcoming environment, which is contributing to the departure of skilled nursing staff and discouraging others from entering the profession. A new report, Unreciprocated Care: why internationally educated nursing staff are leaving the UK, draws on responses from over 3,000 internationally educated nursing staff—including those working in NHS Wales and social care settings across the country. The findings reveal that 42% are planning to leave the UK, with two-thirds of them intending to move to a third country like Australia, Canada or New Zealand, rather than return home. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here This comes at a time when health and care services in Wales are already under enormous pressure, RCM stated. In the NHS alone, there are 2,000 registered nurse vacancies in Wales, according to RCM. Social care is facing similar challenges, with many local authorities struggling to recruit and retain care workers. Article continues below Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: 'Internationally educated nurses are a vital part of our workforce in Wales. "Many came here to work in good faith, but are now telling us they feel exploited, undervalued, and shut out of the system. "These new immigration rules not only make it harder to attract new staff—they threaten to push out the very professionals who are already keeping our health and care services afloat. "The survey found that the most frequently cited reasons for leaving the UK were low salaries (70%) and immigration policies (40%). Internationally educated staff are currently barred from accessing public funds until they secure indefinite leave to remain—a status which, under new proposals, will take ten years to obtain instead of five. "The report also highlights the emotional toll of widespread discrimination, with 64% of respondents saying they have experienced racism or other forms of bias since moving to the UK." A Filipino Senior Nurse in Wales said: 'I once applied for a job in Wales that I didn't get, and the feedback identified that I did not explain myself properly because I am Filipino. "It is also widely also known in Wales that there are very few internationally educated nurses (IENs) in senior posts. "We need to be more visible to support our IENs to develop their interview skills and knowledge to help them succeed in job interviews. English is a language, not a gauge of a person's ability as a nurse.' A nurse from India working in Wales, said: "I found out that I was pregnant after arriving in Wales and was unable to get maternity benefits. "I only took four months off following a painful caesarean recovery to support my family". Despite these challenges, Wales has been actively seeking to welcome and retain international health professionals, RCN stated. Just last year, the Welsh government signed an agreement with the Government of Kerala in India to bring an initial group of 250 doctors and nurses to Wales. That target has already been exceeded, with more than 300 professionals now recruited, and many already working in hospitals and communities across Wales. Helen Whyley added: 'Wales has taken encouraging steps to build ethical and sustainable partnerships, like the agreement with Kerala. "But this progress is being undermined by hostile policies at a UK level. If we want to keep the highly skilled people who have chosen to make Wales their home, we must offer them fair pay, decent treatment and a clear, affordable route to settlement. Article continues below
Pembrokeshire Herald
13-05-2025
- Health
- Pembrokeshire Herald
RCN calls for urgent investment in mental health nursing as A&E crisis deepens
Patients in crisis waiting days for care as frontline nurses sound the alarm THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING is calling for urgent and sustained investment in the mental health nursing workforce after a UK-wide Freedom of Information (FOI) investigation revealed a sharp rise in the number of people attending emergency departments in mental health crisis. The findings, published today (May 13), come just days after the Welsh Government released its long-awaited Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy – a document the RCN warns must now be matched with meaningful action and funding. The FOI responses show a growing number of mental health patients waiting over 12 hours in A&E for appropriate support. Some patients have been forced to wait for up to three days in distress, often without access to specialist care. In Wales, the RCN says nursing staff are reporting dangerous and inhumane conditions. These include instances of vulnerable patients being monitored by security guards instead of qualified professionals, patients attempting suicide while awaiting treatment, and individuals leaving without receiving any care. Last month, RCN Wales joined BMA Cymru Wales in launching a petition calling on the Welsh Government to end the use of corridor care in hospitals and guarantee patients are treated with dignity and safety. RCN Wales warns that chronic underfunding of community mental health services, along with cuts to mental health beds, is placing unsustainable pressure on emergency departments. Without significant investment in specialist community nursing, the college says patients in crisis will continue to be funnelled into emergency departments that are unequipped to meet their needs. Speaking at the RCN's annual Congress in Liverpool next week, General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger is expected to call for 'urgent, massive and sustained investment in community mental health nursing'. She will also condemn the ongoing cuts to mental health beds as short-sighted and dangerous. The RCN is demanding: Improved access to education and training – NHS staff must be supported to access the professional development required for modern, safe care. – NHS staff must be supported to access the professional development required for modern, safe care. Capital investment in residential care – Many NHS mental health facilities are outdated and in disrepair. Patients deserve safe and therapeutic environments. – Many NHS mental health facilities are outdated and in disrepair. Patients deserve safe and therapeutic environments. Expansion of nurse staffing legislation – Section 25B of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act should urgently be extended to mental health inpatient services. Helen Whyley, Director of RCN Wales, said: 'This report is a wake-up call. It is unacceptable that people in mental health crisis are being left for hours – sometimes days – in emergency departments that cannot meet their needs. The Welsh Government says mental health is a priority, but without real investment in mental health nursing, that promise is meaningless. We need urgent action to recruit, retain, and properly resource specialist nurses in our communities. Mental health patients deserve dignity, expertise and timely care – not queues, delays and despair.'
Rhyl Journal
08-05-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
BCUHB A&E nurse speaks out on 'undignified' corridor care
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) employee, who cannot be named, is backing the petition launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the British Medical Association (BMA) in Wales to address the "alarming" state of corridor care in hospitals and healthcare services. Both unions are urging the Welsh Government to take "immediate action" to end the practice of treating patients in corridors, chairs and waiting areas and are asking the public to sign the petition. They say nurses and doctors are being "forced" to treat patients in "inappropriate and undignified" environments which puts them at risk of "significant" harm. The nurse, who has worked for the same hospital for 20 years and works mainly in A&E, said: "I always feel guilty myself about putting the patients in the corridor because I want my patient to have treatment but... sometimes it is the only choice we have rather than sending them back to the waiting area without any treatment or putting them in the corridor where there is an area where they can have antibiotics or whatever treatment we need to give the patient. "It demoralises the staff. Staff are having low morale. As a nurse, this is against my principals. "I want to provide a very high standard of care and I want my patient safe. I want them to have the treatment they deserve but if the patient is in the corridor, or in the area which is not a clinical designated area, then they don't get any of that. "Everything that is discussed is being heard by other patients and some really ill patients, some that are short of breath or are confused, their dignity is compromised because they have no privacy in that area. Everyone can see. Everyone is there - some patients with mental health problems, some really unwell, some patients in police custody. "I think that if I was the patient myself, I would probably feel so uncomfortable. "Because our patient has no choice but to sit there, particularly those who are really unwell, they just take it. I think we should scrap that and the only way we can eradicate this is for everyone to get involved in this petition. "This corridor care is unacceptable and undignified and should not be happening at all." MORE NEWS Work inside Rhyl's Queen's Market in Rhyl progressing 'well' The nurse added: "I think everyone should be involved in this petition, not just nurses and doctors, but patients as they are the ones who are affected here. "We, as nurses, are affected by this as we don't want to do this - we know it is unsafe, people are dying, people are not receiving enough care that they should received. When you are really unwell, we all deserve the best treatment to get well very soon." The nurse believes that corridor care can become a "thing of the past" but admits there is "no quick fix". The petition, which can be signed here, is calling on the Welsh Government to: Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: 'We are beyond breaking point. I have travelled across Wales and witnessed people in pain, confused and frightened, with no privacy, no dignity, and no proper care environment. 'Treating patients in corridors and other inappropriate areas is not nursing – it is crisis management in a system that is failing." Stephen Kelly, chair of the BMA's Welsh Consultants Committee said: 'When a patient is not placed in a bed space there's a chance something vital may be missed, there's no access to monitoring equipment and no privacy to carry out certain procedures. 'This is dangerous and is putting patients' lives at risk, we urge the Welsh Government to work with us to put a stop to this practice. 'We're extremely concerned that the 'normalising' of seeing patients in completely inappropriate spaces will mean that patients come to significant harm which is hugely distressing for patients but also NHS staff." A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: "We do not endorse routine care in non-clinical environments where patient privacy or dignity is compromised. However, there are occasions when the NHS faces exceptional pressures during high demand periods. 'Never events are recorded in the NHS as wholly preventable medical errors with the potential to cause serious harm, therefore the call to classify care for patients in chairs for more than 24 hours as a 'never event' does not meet the criteria, given the complex nature of causes. 'We've provided £200m additional funding this year to improve home care and hospital discharge timelines to address these challenges, which are not unique to Wales." Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS, said: "I fully support the RCN's campaign. The situation in our emergency departments is unacceptable, causing harm to patients, and putting undue pressure on hardworking NHS staff. 'We need urgent action from the Welsh Government to get to grips with this situation once and for all yet ministers seem completely incapable of improving things. 'One of the reasons we are experiencing these problems is that don't have enough beds in our local hospitals. "That is why it is essential that the Welsh Labour Government finally delivers the new hospital in Rhyl that it promised 13 years ago.'
South Wales Argus
30-04-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
RCN and BMA in Wales launch petition to end corridor care
The petition, launched on April 29, calls for immediate action from the Welsh Government to stop the practice of treating patients in corridors, chairs, and other inappropriate areas. The unions are urging the public to sign the petition, as they believe this practice puts patients at risk of significant harm. The petition was prompted by numerous reports from doctors and nurses about the negative impact of corridor care. Helen Whyley, executive director of RCN Wales, said: "We are beyond breaking point. "I have travelled across Wales and witnessed people in pain, confused and frightened, with no privacy, no dignity, and no proper care environment. "Corridor care is unsafe, undignified, and unacceptable." Stephen Kelly, chair of the BMA's Welsh Consultants Committee, said: "When a patient is not placed in a bed space there's a chance something vital may be missed, there's no access to monitoring equipment and no privacy to carry out certain procedures. "This is dangerous and is putting patients' lives at risk." The unions hope the petition will prompt action from the Welsh Government.
