This event took place on April 22, 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

It's time for the big one.

On May 6th Wales elects a new Welsh Government – that's just two weeks away. Do you know who’s getting your vote?

If you don’t – and even if you do – don’t miss the national edition of RCN Wales Election Question Time on Facebook and Zoom this Thursday 22 April at 6PM!

Featuring health spokespeople from all the major parties, this is your chance to ask them the big questions about nursing and health care matters affecting all of Wales – live.

Mark yourself as “going” on Facebook now, and don’t forget to share it!

⏰ Thursday 22 April at 6PM
🗣 Live interpretation available
🔗 Join on Zoom | Join on Facebook
ℹ More information

Dyma’r un mawr.

Ar 6 Mai, bydd Cymru’n ethol Llywodraeth newydd Cymru – dim ond pythefnos sydd tan hynny. Ydych chi’n gwybod dros bwy byddwch chi’n bwrw eich pleidlais?

Os nad ydych chi – a hyd yn oed os ydych chi – peidiwch â cholli’r rhifyn cenedlaethol o Hawl i Holi Etholiad RCN Cymru ar Facebook a Zoom ddydd Iau 22 Ebrill am 6PM!

Gyda’r llefarwyr iechyd o bob un o’r prif bleidiau, dyma’ch cyfle i ofyn y cwestiynau mawr am faterion nyrsio a gofal iechyd sy’n effeithio ar Gymru gyfan – yn fyw.

Cliciwch eich bod yn “mynd” ar Facebook nawr, a chofiwch rannu!

⏰ Dydd Iau 22 Ebrill am 6PM
🗣 Bydd cyfieithu ar y pryd ar gael
🔗 Ymuno ar Zoom | Ymuno ar Facebook
ℹ Rhagor o wybodaeth

Popeth sydd angen ei wybod am bleidleisio yn etholiadau’r Senedd

Rhannwch y delweddau hyn ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol, neu llwythwch ein taflen Sut mae Pleidleisio i lawr.

All you need to know about voting in the Senedd elections

Share these graphics on social media, or download our How to Vote leaflet.

Ahead of the Senedd election in May, the RCN surveyed its members in Wales to find the biggest challenges and most urgent priorities for the next Welsh Government

Read the full report in English or in Welsh.

More than three quarters of RCN Wales survey respondents were concerned about safe levels of nursing staffing in the community and in care homes. Nursing staffing levels and skill mix are closely linked with patient risks.

The RCN was successful in campaigning in 2016 for the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act. Section 25B of this species a safe nurse staffing methodology to be used on medical and surgical adult wards. Children's inpatient wards will be included in 2021.

RCN Wales asked members what setting they believed was the most important for Section 25B of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016 to be extended to. Over a third (37%) say that care homes should be next.

A further 23% of respondents think community nursing is the most important sector for safe staffing, while 16% say community hospitals are most important.

Put together, over three quarters of respondents are concerned about safe staffing in the community and care homes.

Helen Whyley, Director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales, said: "Community nursing and care home nursing are inextricably linked. Despite both suffering serious staffing shortages, they support each other to care for patients who would otherwise be admitted to hospital.

"This has never been truer than during the COVID-19 pandemic, where staff shortages have been compounded by staff absences as they self-isolate for the safety of their patients and colleagues. Clearly, safe staffing outside hospital settings must be the top priority for nursing staff in Wales."

Survey findings reveal that RCN Wales members also believe:

• Wales needs to educate more nurses – and work harder to keep them
• to keep its nurses, NHS Wales needs a bigger, better-paid workforce
• to retain nurses in care homes, higher pay is important – but so is respect
• the top public health priorities for the next Welsh Government should be facilitating access to mental health services, and physical activity.

The RCN Wales 2020 member survey ran twice: once in March 2020 and again in September to November 2020. There were 753 respondents.

Read the full report in English or in Welsh.

This event took place on April 16th, 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

What will Senedd election candidates in North Wales do for nursing?

Ask them yourself at our live, online Question Time event! We’ll be joined by candidates from political parties including Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru. Meet candidates and get their takes on the burning questions on your mind.

All welcome! No need to book in advance - just keep the links below handy.

⏰ Thursday 15th April 6pm
🗣 Live interpretation available
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events

Beth fydd ymgeiswyr etholiad y Senedd yn Gogledd Cymru yn ei wneud dros nyrsio?

Gofynnwch iddyn nhw eich hun yn ein digwyddiad Hawl i Holi byw, ar-lein! Bydd ymgeiswyr yn ymuno â ni o bleidiau gwleidyddol, gan gynnwys y Blaid Lafur, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a Phlaid Cymru. Gofynnwch i’r ymgeiswyr beth fydden nhw’n ei wneud dros nyrsio yng Nghymru.

Croeso i bawb! Nid oes angen archebu ymlaen llaw – dim ond cadw’r ddolen isod wrth law.

⏰ Dydd Iau 15fed o Ebrill 6pm
🗣 Cyfieithu ar y pryd
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events

Rhoi gwybod i’r ymgeiswyr pam mae nyrsio’n haeddu tâl teg? Hawdd!

Bydd etholiadau’r Senedd yn cael eu cynnal ar 6 Mai 2021. Defnyddiwch ein teclyn ar-lein defnyddiol i roi gwybod i ymgeiswyr yr holl bleidiau gwleidyddol yn eich ardal pa mor bwysig yw hi bod staff nyrsio yn cael tâl teg!

Byddwn ni’n cyfateb eich cyfeiriad yn awtomatig â’r holl ymgeiswyr sy’n sefyll yn eich ardal ac yn rhoi templed e-bost i chi ei anfon. Ac nid i aelodau’r RCN yn unig mae hyn: gall unrhyw un ei ddefnyddio i gefnogi ymgyrch Tâl Teg ar gyfer Nyrsio y Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol. Felly, ar ôl i chi ei anfon, rhannwch y ddolen ar eich cyfryngau cymdeithasol a gofyn i’ch ffrindiau gefnogi tâl teg hefyd!

Felly ewch ati heddiw i roi gwybod i’ch ymgeiswyr pam mae staff nyrsio yn haeddu codiad cyflog teg. Fyddwn ni ddim yn defnyddio’r data rydych chi’n ei roi at unrhyw ddiben arall.

Tell your Senedd candidates why nursing deserves fair pay? Easy!

The Senedd elections are coming up on 6 May 2021. Tell candidates of all political parties in your area how important fair pay for nursing is using our handy online tool!

We’ll automatically match your address with all candidates standing in your area and give you a template email to send. And it’s not just for RCN members: anyone can use it to support the Royal College of Nursing’s Fair Pay for Nursing campaign. So after you’ve sent it, share the link on your social media and get your friends to support fair pay too!

So tell your candidates why nursing staff deserve a fair pay rise today. We won’t use the data you enter for any other purpose.

This event took place on 1 April 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

What will Senedd election candidates in Mid and West Wales do for nursing?

Ask them yourself at our live, online Question Time event! We’ll be joined by candidates from political parties including Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru. Meet candidates and get their takes on the burning questions on your mind.

All welcome! No need to book in advance - just keep the links below handy.

⏰ Thursday 1st April 6pm
🗣 Live interpretation available
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events

Beth fydd ymgeiswyr etholiad y Senedd yn Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn ei wneud dros nyrsio?

Gofynnwch iddyn nhw eich hun yn ein digwyddiad Hawl i Holi byw, ar-lein! Bydd ymgeiswyr yn ymuno â ni o bleidiau gwleidyddol, gan gynnwys y Blaid Lafur, y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a Phlaid Cymru. Gofynnwch i’r ymgeiswyr beth fydden nhw’n ei wneud dros nyrsio yng Nghymru.

Croeso i bawb! Nid oes angen archebu ymlaen llaw – dim ond cadw’r ddolen isod wrth law.

⏰ Dydd Iau 1af o Ebrill 6pm
🗣 Cyfieithu ar y pryd
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events

Infection Prevention and Control

Infection prevention and control (IPC) nurses promote the safety of the patient, the public and the health care worker. The role is multifaceted, but the most familiar functions of an IPC nurse is to provide specialist advice and enable the health care workforce, through education, to carry out surveillance and the development of policies and guidance.

This paper is intended to inform the public, political parties and the health and social care workforce of the importance of IPC.

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the value of IPC advice and in particular the role of IPC nursing teams. It is time to reflect upon the lessons learned during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure that going forward as part of the post-COVID-19 learning IPC nursing teams are recognised as an essential contributor to patient protection and safety.

We recommend that the Welsh Government, NHS Wales, Public Health Wales, employers and relevant agencies:

1. Value and respect the necessity of IPC nursing advice at a national and local level
2. Support the expansion of the infection prevention and control workforce
3. Ensure a whole-system approach to infection prevention and control by reviewing the Code of Practice (Wales)
4. Look beyond the COVID-19 pandemic to put patient safety first and integrate IPC into the delivery of patient safety

Read the full report in English here and in Welsh here.

This event took place on 18 March 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

What will Senedd election candidates in South Wales Central do for nursing?

Ask them yourself at our live, online Question Time event! We’ll be joined by candidates from political parties including Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru. Meet candidates including David Rees, Joel Williams and Anthony Slaughter and get their takes on the burning questions on your mind.

No need to book in advance - just keep the links below handy.

⏰ Thursday 18th March 6pm
🗣 Live interpretation available
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events: Question Time South Wales Central

All welcome – just bring a cup of tea and an interest in nursing issues. The tea is optional, but strongly recommended.

Beth fydd ymgeiswyr etholiad y Senedd yn Canol De Cymru yn ei wneud dros nyrsio?

Gofynnwch iddyn nhw eich hun yn ein digwyddiad Hawl i Holi byw, ar-lein! Dewch i gwrdd â’r ymgeiswyr gan gynnwys David Rees, Joel Williams a Anthony Slaughter a gofyn beth fydden nhw’n ei wneud dros nyrsio yng Nghymru.

Nid oes angen archebu ymlaen llaw – dim ond cadw’r ddolen isod wrth law.

⏰ Dydd Iau 18fed o Fawrth 6pm
🗣 Cyfieithu ar y pryd
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events: Question Time South Wales Central

Croeso i bawb – dim ond i chi ddod â phaned o de a bod gennych chi ddiddordeb mewn materion nyrsio. Mae’r te yn ddewisol, ond fe’i argymhellir yn gryf.

This event took place on 11 March 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

What will Senedd election candidates in South Wales East do for nursing?

Ask them yourself at our live, online Question Time event! We’ll be joined by candidates from political parties including Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru. Meet candidates including Rhys Mills, Gavin Chambers, Huw Irranca-Davies and Mark Reckless and get their takes on the burning questions on your mind.

No need to book in advance - just keep the links below handy.

⏰ Thursday 11th March 6pm
🗣 Live interpretation available
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events: Question Time South Wales Central

Beth fydd ymgeiswyr etholiad y Senedd yn Canol De Cymru yn ei wneud dros nyrsio?

Gofynnwch iddyn nhw eich hun yn ein digwyddiad Hawl i Holi byw, ar-lein! Dewch i gwrdd â’r ymgeiswyr gan gynnwys Rhys Mills, Gavin Chambers, Huw Irranca-Davies a Mark Reckless a gofyn beth fydden nhw’n ei wneud dros nyrsio yng Nghymru.

Nid oes angen archebu ymlaen llaw – dim ond cadw’r ddolen isod wrth law.

⏰ Dydd Iau Dydd Iau 11eg o Fawrth 6pm
🗣 Cyfieithu ar y pryd
🔗 Zoom | Facebook
ℹ RCN Events: Question Time South Wales Central

This event took place on 4 March 2021. You can watch the recording or browse all our past events.

What will Senedd election candidates in South Wales West do for nursing?

Ask them yourself at our live, online Question Time event! Meet candidates and get their takes on the burning questions on your mind. We’ll be joined by candidates from political parties including Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru.

No need to book in advance – just keep the link handy.

⏰ Thursday 4th March 6pm
🗣 Live in Welsh and English
🔗 Join on Zoom | Watch the Facebook livestream
ℹ RCN Events: Question Time South Wales West

Sefyllfa RCN Cymru ynglŷn ag Addysg Cyn-cofrestru

Y paratoad cychwynnol sy’n arwain at gymhwyster fel nyrs yw’r isadeiledd y mae’r holl faterion eraill sy’n gysylltiedig â nyrsio yn cael eu hadeiladu. Mae’r papur sefyllfa newydd hwn yn amlinellu’r blaenoriaethau a’r sefyllfaoedd sy’n dylanwadu ar Goleg Nyrsio Brenhinol (RCN) Cymru ynglŷn â meysydd addysgol allweddol yn y radd nyrsio cyn-cofrestru/israddedig.

Darganfu ymchwil yn 2014, a gynhaliwyd mewn naw o wledydd Ewropeaidd, fod gweithlu nyrsio sydd wedi cael ei addysgu yn well yn lleihau marwolaethau diangen. Mae cynnydd o 10% yn y nifer o nyrsys sydd wedi cael eu haddysgu at lefel gradd baglor mewn ysbyty yn gysylltiedig â gostyngiad o 7% mewn marwolaethau cleifion.

Egwyddorion Polisi

1. Bydd RCN Cymru yn hyrwyddo, drwy godi ymwybyddiaeth y cyhoedd a dylanwadu gwleidyddol, y rheidrwydd am radd nyrsio a chefnogi’r ddarpariaeth barhaus o addysg nyrsio o ansawdd uchel
2. Mae RCN Cymru yn cefnogi ehangu’r dull o fynediad i fyfyrwyr i’r rhaglen gradd mewn nyrsio. Mae hyn yn cynnwys model prentisiaeth cenedlaethol, dysgu o bell a dysgu rhan-amser
3. Mae RCN Cymru yn credu y dylai myfyrwyr nyrsio yng Nghymru gael eu cefnogi yn ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru a dylen nhw gael mynediad at ddulliau hyblyg o gymorth, gan gynnwys bwrsariaeth y GIG a chymorth ariannol arall, oherwydd nad yw’r un peth yn addas i bawb
4. Mae RCN Cymru yn cydnabod yr angen i sicrhau cynaliadwyedd ariannol a phroffesiynol nyrsio fel maes addysgu ac ymchwilio ffyniannus yn y sector addysg uwch

Darllenwch yr adroddiad llawn yn Gymraeg yma ac yn Saesneg yma.

The RCN Wales Position on Pre-registration Education

The initial preparation that leads to qualification as a nurse is the infrastructure on which all other issues related to nursing are built. This new position paper sets out the influencing priorities and positions of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales on key educational areas in the pre-registration/undergraduate nursing degree.

Research in 2014, conducted across nine European countries, found that a better educated nursing workforce reduced unnecessary deaths. Every 10% increase in the number of bachelor degree-educated nurses within a hospital is associated with a 7% decline in patient mortality.

Policy Principles

1. RCN Wales will promote, by raising public awareness and political influencing, the necessity of the nursing degree and support the continued provision of high-quality nursing education
2. RCN Wales supports widening means of access for students to the nursing degree programme. This includes a national apprenticeship model, distance learning and part-time learning
3. RCN Wales believes nursing students in Wales should be supported financially by the Welsh Government and should have access to flexible methods of support, including the NHS bursary and other financial aids, as one size does not fit all
4. RCN Wales recognises the need to ensure the financial and professional sustainability of nursing as a flourishing teaching and research field in the higher education sector

Read the full report in English here and in Welsh here.

Gofal iechyd a nyrsio mewn carchardai yng Nghymru – Galwad i Weithredu

Beth yw nyrsio mewn carchardai? Pam mae’n bwysig?

Mae nyrsys mewn carchardai yn darparu gofal sylfaenol ar gyfer rhai o unigolion mwyaf bregus cymdeithas. Mae llawer o bobl sydd mewn carchar yn dod o’n cymunedau mwyaf difreintiedig ac mae ganddyn nhw iechyd gwael iawn. Amcangyfrifir bod 36% ohonyn nhw ag anabledd corfforol neu anabledd meddwl, o’i gymharu â 19% o’r boblogaeth yn gyffredinol.

Mae’r swyddogaethau y mae nyrsys yn eu cyflawni mewn carchardai yn amrywio o wella iechyd cyhoeddus drwy brofi rheolaidd ar gyfer hepatitis C, at gefnogi iechyd meddwl a darparu gofal lliniarol.

Yn yr adroddiad diweddaraf hwn, mae RCN Cymru yn galw ar Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru i gymryd camau gweithredu brys yn gysylltiedig â:

• recriwtio, cadw a datblygu gyrfaoedd nyrsys cofrestredig mewn carchardai
• dyrannu cyllid a ddarparwyd i fyrddau iechyd ar gyfer gofal iechyd mewn carchardai, gan sicrhau bod perthynas glir i‘r boblogaeth a wasanaethir a’u hanghenion
• effaith anghymesur pandemig y COVID-19 mewn carchardai
• cefnogaeth ar gyfer pobl gydag anableddau dysgu mewn carchardai.

Darllenwch yr adroddiad llawn yn Saesneg yma ac yn Gymraeg yma.

NEW REPORT: Prison health care and nursing in Wales - A Call for Action

What is prison nursing? Why is it important?

Prison nurses provide primary care for some of the most vulnerable individuals in society. Many people in prison come from from our most deprived communities and have very poor health. 36% are estimated to have a physical or mental disability, compared with 19% in the general population.

The roles prison nurses perform range from improving public health by routine testing for hepatitis C, to supporting mental health and providing palliative care.

In this latest report, RCN Wales calls on the next Welsh Government to take urgent actions relating to:

• recruitment, retention and career development of registered nurses in prison settings
• allocation of funding provided to health boards for prison health care, ensuring there is a clear relationship to the population served and their needs
• the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in prison settings
• support for people with learning disabilities in prison settings.

Read the full report in English here and in Welsh here.

NEW: CAMPAIGN PACKS FOR RCN MEMBERS!

Request yours today and get involved in the Vote for Nursing campaign!

In each pack you’ll find merchandise including pens, posters, hand sanitiser, extremely stylish red face masks and more. In short, everything you need to help get everybody talking about nursing as we head into another election season in Wales.

Whether you give the contents away or keep all your treasures to yourself is up to you. But when it arrives, we’d love it if you took a selfie and tagged us on your social media channel of choice!

If you’re an RCN member, just email us your postal address today at Policy&PublicAffairs.wales@rcn.org.uk to get yours!

NEWYDD: PECYNNAU YMGYRCH AR GYFER AELODAU RCN!

Gofynnwch am eich un chi heddiw a chymryd rhan yn yr ymgyrch Pleidleisiwch dros Nyrsio!

Mae nwyddau ym mhob pecyn gan gynnwys pinnau ysgrifennu, posteri, hylif diheintio dwylo, masg wyneb coch smart iawn a rhagor. Yn gryno, popeth rydych chi ei angen i helpu i gael pawb yn siarad am nyrsio wrth i ni fynd i dymor etholiad arall yng Nghymru.

Chi sydd i ddewis os ydych chi’n rhoi’r cynnwys i rywun arall neu’n cadw’r trysorau i chi eich hun. Ond pan fydd yn cyrraedd, byddem wrth ein bodd os byddech chi’n cymryd hun-lun a’n tagio ni ar unrhyw sianel cyfryngau cymdeithasol.

Os ydych chi’n aelod o RCN anfonwch eich cyfeiriad post dros yr e-bost i Policy&PublicAffairs.wales@rcn.org.uk i gael eich pecyn chi!

New report: Nursing and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Out of 2,011 RCN Wales members surveyed between May and June 2020, over a third (34%) felt less valued by the Welsh Government compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic - the highest rate amongst all UK nations. 27% also felt less valued by senior executive management in their health organisation.

What lessons should the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and other agencies learn from the first wave of the pandemic?

In this new paper the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales sets out three key priorities for the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and relevant agencies and employers to commit to going forward.

1. Recognise the necessity of nursing and professional nursing advice at a national and local level
2. Ensure timely access to COVID-19 testing, test results and personal protective equipment (PPE)
3. Support the health and wellbeing of nursing staff

Read the full report here.

Y Gweithlu Nyrsio Yng Nghymru 2020: adroddiad newydd gan RCN Cymru

Yn ein hadroddiad blynyddol diwethaf ar gyflwr y gweithlu nyrsio yng Nghymru, rydym yn dod i’r casgliad y dylai Llywodraeth nesaf Cymru wneud popeth gall ei wneud i gynyddu nifer y nyrsys cofrestredig.

Mae hyn yn golygu ehangu’r mynediad i’r radd nyrsio a chefnogi myfyrwyr nyrsio i astudio. Ar gyfer nyrsys sydd eisoes yn gweithio, mae hefyd yn golygu cynnig tâl teg, cefnogi gweithio’n hyblyg, a chynyddu nifer yr uwch swyddi nyrsio. Bydd hyn yn helpu i gadw nyrsys profiadol yn y GIG ac yn lleihau’r ddibyniaeth ar asiantaethau drud.

Mae'r prinder nyrsys yn arbennig o amlwg mewn lleoliadau cymunedol a chartrefi gofal, ond nid ydynt ar eu pen eu hunain. Dylid ymestyn darpariaethau yng nghyfraith Cymru ar gyfer gofal nyrsio diogel ac effeithiol er mwyn cynnwys wardiau plant, wardiau iechyd meddwl a nyrsio cymunedol.

Darllenwch yr adroddiad llawn yn Gymraeg yma ac yn Saesneg yma.

The Nursing Workforce in Wales 2020: a new report from RCN Wales

In our latest annual report on the state of the nursing workforce in Wales, we find that the next Welsh Government should do everything it can to increase the number of registered nurses.

This means widening access to the nursing degree and supporting nursing students to study. For existing nurses, it also means offering fair pay, supporting flexible working, and increasing the number of senior nursing posts. This will help retain experienced nurses in the NHS and reduce reliance on expensive agencies.

The nursing shortage is particularly great in community and care home settings, but they are not alone. Existing provisions in Welsh law for safe and effective nursing care should be extended to cover children’s wards, mental health wards and community nursing.

Read the full report in English here and in Welsh here.