Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:06 pm on 28 September 2022.
Firstly, I'd like to thank the petitioners for bringing this petition forward, and I'd also like to thank the Members who've contributed today and the Minister for her reply. Nurses make up around 40 per cent of NHS Wales employees; they are the heart and soul of our national health service. What has been clear in this debate is that, whatever party we belong to and whatever community we represent, we all want to ensure that we have the appropriate number of nurses to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. But how we achieve that, particularly in the face of a global shortage of nurses, is the key challenge. I'd like to thank members of the Royal College of Nursing for attending today's debate; I look forward to seeing them in the Neuadd later this evening to mark the launch of their new report.
I hope today's debate has shed further light on the progress made over the last few years and the challenges that remain, and I know that this is an issue that will continue to be debated long into the future. Diolch.