The Welsh Conservatives have warned that Wales’ NHS workforce crisis is deepening, with newly qualified midwives now facing reduced employment opportunities despite ongoing pressures across maternity services.
It comes after similar concerns raised around paramedics, nurses and doctors, with trained staff struggling to secure roles in Wales at the same time as patients continue to face delays in care and treatment.
The Royal College of Midwives Cymru has highlighted “serious and avoidable risks” to maternity services, including reduced commissioning of student midwife places and delays to workforce planning, warning this risks long-term staffing shortages and increased pressure on already stretched services.
The Welsh Conservatives said this reflects a wider failure of workforce planning under 27 years of Labour, propped up by Plaid Cymru, which has left NHS services struggling to recruit and retain key staff.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Health Spokesperson, Peter Fox said:
“After years of mismanagement, we are now seeing trained paramedics, nurses, doctors and midwives being left without clear job prospects in Wales, while patients are left waiting longer for care.
“This is a clear failure of workforce planning. Instead of securing the next generation of NHS staff, Labour and Plaid Cymru are presiding over a system that risks losing them altogether.
“The Welsh Conservatives would retain, recruit and train more doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and health professionals, end the recruitment crisis, and ensure patients can access the care they need when they need it.”
ENDS
Note to editors:
The letter from the Royal College of Midwives can be found attached.
