Written question WQ83867

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB), like other health boards, is responsible for recruitment and staff training, supported by Health Education and Improvement Wales and other partner organisations. The Welsh Government is in regular dialogue with ABUHB across a range of matters.

Information shared by ABUHB in October following the visit from the royal college president on 21 June highlights a range of actions to address safer staffing and medical recruitment. These include: additional investment; short-term recruitment approaches to fill posts early, utilising schemes such as the NHS Professionals “European Gateway” Route; and longer-term strategies to regularly recruit into vacancies that have been identified. The health board is recruiting into consultant posts, clinical fellow posts and medical education fellowships. The Welsh Government does not hold information on the number of additional staff recruited to date.

We recognise the strategic importance of improving the retention of staff working in the NHS and the sustainability of our workforce during this demanding time is critical. Staff wellbeing, engagement and retention are core priorities in our Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care launched in October last year (2020) and we continue to work in partnership with colleagues in the health boards, trusts, social care and the trade unions to better understand the issues facing the workforce and provide funding and services in a targeted way to complement local workplace support.

We have funded an extension to a 24/7 confidential Samaritans bilingual support helpline until August 2022 dedicated to all health and care workers in Wales. This is alongside the expanded Health for Health Professionals service which offers expert psychological support to assist health and social care staff with presentations directly related to Covid-19 experiences such as post-traumatic stress disorder, prolonged grief disorder and moral injury. These complement the local support and resources provided by NHS and social care employers and free-to access health and wellbeing support resources and apps such as Mind, CALL and SilverCloud.

A number of initiatives are already underway within ABUHB to support staff wellbeing and retention. These include: Shwartz rounds and reflective interventions; individual psychological consultations and advice; leadership development and support. ABUHB has also agreed a 12 month engagement programme to address issues raised with respect to staff perceptions about levels of engagement with ABUHB management teams.

The Welsh Government does not hold information on temporary staffing at the Grange University Hospital.