253 more nursing graduates secure NHS Wales jobs

Nation.Cymru staff

More than 250 additional nursing graduates have secured posts across NHS Wales following efforts to find jobs for newly qualified staff who were waiting to begin their careers.

The Welsh Government said 253 graduates had been placed since a summit convened by Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor in June. However, some nursing graduates remain without an allocated post, while the minister acknowledged further work was needed to help midwifery graduates find employment.

All nursing graduates from Aberystwyth and Bangor universities have now secured jobs.

The government said there were enough vacancies overall to accommodate the remaining nursing graduates awaiting allocation, with work continuing to match individuals to suitable roles. It did not give a figure for how many were still waiting.

An extra round of job allocations has helped graduates secure posts. A further 28 have either found employment through other routes or are not currently available for work.

Health boards, universities, Health Education and Improvement Wales and NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership have been involved in the work alongside the Welsh Government.

Mr ap Gwynfor is due to visit Aberystwyth University on Monday, October 19, where all adult nursing and mental health nursing graduates have been placed into roles.

Ahead of the visit, he said: “I fully recognise how worrying the situation has been for newly qualified healthcare professionals waiting to start their careers.

“The progress we’ve made since the Graduate Summit shows what can be achieved, but there is still much work to be done, especially for midwifery graduates, and we remain committed to helping graduates into employment and retaining their skills within NHS Wales.”

The government said the experience of the 2026 graduates would inform future decisions about training places and workforce planning, to better match the numbers qualifying with the needs of health services.

Among those who have started work is Mirain Breese, who graduated from Aberystwyth University in July and has taken up a nursing post at Bronglais Hospital.

She began her course when her youngest son started full-time school, combining study and clinical placements with raising a family.

“Balancing academic work, clinical placements and family life was not always easy, but the support I received from the University, placement teams, fellow students, family and friends made all the difference,” she said.

“Being able to study through the medium of Welsh, close to home, was so important to me. To complete the course, qualify as a nurse and secure a local job caring for patients in my own community is something I am immensely proud of.”

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