Plaid Cymru’s leader has challenged Wales’ First Minister over Labour’s failure to put a “comprehensive and sustainable workforce plan in place” and for putting patients at risk as a consequence.

There are an estimated 2,000 nursing vacancies in the Welsh NHS, resulting in unsafe staffing levels on hospital wards.

The Royal College of Nursing’s ‘Nursing in Numbers’ report for 2024 highlighted that nurses in Wales are having to work a total of more than 73,000 extra hours a week to make up some of the staffing shortfall. Welsh Government also spent an eye-watering £142m on agency nursing last year alone to make up staffing numbers.

Plaid Cymru have called on the Labour Welsh Government to strengthen the law on safe staffing levels to both improve safe staffing levels on wards and reduce the health service’s dependence on agency nursing.

Plaid Cymru leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “Even by the First Minister’s own admission, the NHS isn’t where it needs to be after 25 years of a Labour led government. The record-high waiting lists, the need for intervention on health boards, and staff having to work under increasingly challenging circumstances.

“There are around 2,000 nursing vacancies in the Welsh NHS; nurses in Wales are working more than 73,000 extra hours a week; and last year’s agency bill was still at a staggering £142m – the equivalent of 4,677 full-time newly registered nurses.

“Efforts to put nursing staffing on a sustainable level is further undermined by cuts to the nursing degree places in Wales.

“Labour can’t even do the basics right. They have systematically failed to put a comprehensive and sustainable workforce plan in place, which is simply unfair on staff and puts patients at risk.

“If Labour are serious about addressing the nursing crisis in Wales, they would strengthen the law on safe staffing levels on hospital wards - for the sake of both patients and staff,” he added.