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Strategic nursing workforce plan

The Strategic Nursing Workforce Plan for Wales 2025-2030 is the first plan of its kind, developed in response to the needs of nearly 40,000 nurses working across NHS Wales. With a collaborative, all-Wales focus, this plan is set to grow, transform, and support the nursing workforce, ensuring that it is equipped to meet the evolving healthcare demands of the Welsh population.

Our summary provides an overview of the plan.

Using HEIW’s three-pillar approach - workforce intelligence and analysis, research and innovation, and engagement - the plan is built on robust data and collective expertise. Key steps in the development included:

  • Data-driven insights: A full review of nursing workforce data alongside the development of a supply and demand and model.
  • Best practice research: Analysis of numerous reports and strategic drivers impacting the workforce over the next five years.
  • Extensive engagement: Two phases of consultation with key stakeholders including nurses, students and education partners to ensure the plan reflects the needs of those it serves.

The Strategic Nursing Workforce Plan outlines a series of targeted actions over the next five years, to be implemented in collaboration with Welsh Government, Health Boards and Trusts, Primary Care, the Royal College of Nursing, and other key stakeholders. These actions focus on three key areas:

1. Growing the Workforce

  • Expanding the workforce to meet increasing demand.
  • Implementing innovative recruitment and retention strategies to attract new talent and retain experienced nurses.

2. Supporting the Workforce

  • Prioritising nurse wellbeing to build a resilient workforce.
  • Enhancing educational programmes and career development opportunities.
  • Promoting a positive and supportive work environment to improve job satisfaction and patient outcomes.
  • Championing diversity and inclusion within the nursing workforce.

3. Transforming the Workforce

  • Introducing new workforce models for both community and hospital settings.
  • Strengthening skills and knowledge in genomics, data literacy, and automated healthcare.
  • Aligning workforce capabilities with prevention-focused healthcare strategies to improve public health.

The success of this plan depends on the collective effort of nurses, educators, policymakers, and healthcare leaders. By working together, we can build a resilient, future-ready nursing workforce that delivers high-quality care and improved health outcomes for the people of Wales.

Next steps

The actions identified in this plan will be delivered over a five-year period recognising the need for capacity and resources to support implementation. To inform the implementation planning process the actions have been categorised into new, accelerate, underpinning – to reflect that not all these actions will require the establishment of additional workstreams and resources.  Many of the actions are for HEIW to lead at national level with support of partners.  Many of these actions can be progressed by building on work and resources already in place, or though the core functions of HEIW.

 
Plan Phases

The plan has been split into three phases.

 

    Contact

    If you have any queries about the Nursing Workforce Plan, please contact our team via heiw.nursingworkforceplan@wales.nhs.uk.

     

    Supporting resources