Health workforce

Guidance and services

• COVID-19 workforce risk assessment tool
  The COVID-19 workforce risk assessment tool has been withdrawn. 
• Health circulars
  Health guidance issued to health boards and professionals as a circular.
• Post registration career framework for nurses
  The different roles and career support available for nurses in the NHS.
• Preceptorship guidelines for ward sisters and charge nurses
  Processes to follow for new ward sisters and charge nurses.
• NHS dress code
  Guidance on the dress code for all NHS staff.
• Use of the NHS number: operational standards (WHC/2015/049)
  Summary of changes to the way healthcare staff and service providers match patients to health records.
• Guide to consent for examination or treatment: revised guidance (WHC/2017/036)
  Letter to NHS staff to introduce revised guidance on obtaining consent from patients.
• Patient safety incidents (WHC/2018/012)
  How and when to report patient safety incidents (never events).
• Sensory loss communication needs: data standards (WHC/2018/030)
  How to record the communication needs of people with sensory loss.
• Accessible communication and information standards in healthcare
  How to make it easier for people with sensory loss to access healthcare services.
• Welsh language in health care: guidance for staff
  Advice to help you provide health services to patients in Welsh.
• Welsh language in social care: guidance for staff
  Advice to help you provide social care and social services to patients in Welsh.
• Safe clinical use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (WHC/2018/001)
  Guidance for health professionals on the safe clinical use of MRI scanners.
• Clinical supervision for midwives
  Changes to the regulation and supervision of midwives.
• Healthcare workers infected with bloodborne viruses (WHC/2017/045)
  How to manage healthcare staff infected with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
• NHS Wales agency and locum programme (WHC/2017/042)
  Guidance for health boards on a programme to reduce the costs of using agency and locum staff.
• NHS Wales peer review (WHC/2017/037)
  Letter to NHS staff to introduce guidance about a peer review framework.
• Employer led supervision of midwives (WHC/2017/015)
  Guidance for health boards on the role of clinical supervisors for midwives.
• Nursing in special schools
  Standards to follow for nurses in special schools.
• School nursing framework
  Standards to follow for nurses in primary and secondary schools.
• District nursing team structure
  Letter and guidance to help the management of community nursing teams.
• Healthcare for Gypsies and Travellers: bibliography
  A list of guidance to help health professionals who work with Gypsies and Travellers.
• Aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT): introduction of a standardised approach (WHC/2015/047)
  Guidance for healthcare workers on the implementation and training of ANTT.
• Nurse staffing levels: statutory guidance for health boards and NHS Trusts
  How to ensure an appropriate number of nurses are available to provide care for patients.
• Mental health crisis care agreement: action plan 2019 to 2022
  How to support people in mental health crisis.
• Children's rehabilitation services: quality standards
  Guidance on the audiology services available to children.
• Implementation of PROMPT standards in maternity services in Wales (WHC/2019/022)
  Guidance for staff working in maternity services to recognise and manage obstetric emergencies.
• Children's rehabilitation services: quality standards audit tool
  How to assess and audit child audiology services.
• Nursing and midwifery: enabling professionalism
  Professional standards and behaviour for nurses and midwives.
• Outpatient follow-up backlog monitoring (WHC/2015/005)
  Guidance for health professionals about reporting data on delayed outpatient follow-up appointments.
• Standards on reporting radiological examinations
  How to report critical, untoward, urgent or unexpected radiological findings.
• Patient data record: asthma
  Collecting and recording of patients data relating to asthma by GP practices for disease management register.
• Patient data record: hypetension
  Collecting and recording of patients data relating to hypertension by GP practices for disease management register.
• Returning health professionals and scientists
  How health professionals and scientists can return to the NHS to help during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Patient data record: obesity
  Collecting and recording of patients data relating to obesity by GP practices for disease management register.
• Patient data record: palliative care
  Collecting and recording of patients data relating to palliative care by GP practices for disease management register.
• Public Health Wales' guidance for health and social care professionals
  Coronavirus guidance for health professionals produced by Public Health Wales (includes PPE).
• Allied health professionals’ (AHP) role in rehabilitation during and after COVID-19
  This statement outlines our four nations’ collective strategic priorities and approach to AHP rehabilitation leadership during and after COVID-19.
• Patient data record: osteoporosis
  Collecting and recording of patients data relating to osteoporosis by GP practices for disease management register.
• Benefits of working in general practice
  Explains the benefits of working in general practice for GPs and trainees.
• NHS Wales health boards and trusts strike service updates
  Important health guidance and advice during industrial action in health boards and trusts
• Therapeutic groups guidance: community settings
  Guidance for health and social care staff delivering therapeutic groups in community settings.
• Directed enhanced service: violent patients
  Outlines specialised services provided by general medical services to support staff dealing with violent patients.
• Chief Nursing Officer for Wales: priorities 2022 to 2024
  The areas of work the Chief Nursing officer will focus on for 2022 to 2024.
• Armed forces covenant: healthcare priority for veterans (WHC /2017/41)
  Guidance for health professionals on priority treatment and healthcare for veterans.
• General medical services (GMS) contract 2019 to 2020: access to GP services
  Guidance for general practice managers on the GMS access standards.
• Hospital to home community of practice
  Guidance for those working with hospital to home community practice discharge models.
• Paediatrics nurse staffing principles
  Health boards work towards these standards for nurse staffing on paediatric inpatient wards.
• Policy on the management of point of care testing (WHC/2017/034)
  Highlights updated guidance on diagnostic testing carried out by health support workers.
• Guidance for GMS contract Wales 2019 to 2020: frequently asked questions
  Frequently asked questions from stakeholders regarding the changes to the GMS contract 2019 to 2020.
• National protocol for live attenuated influenza vaccine nasal spray suspension (LAIV)
  Protocol for administering live influenza nasal spray vaccine under the national vaccination programme.
• Patients' NHS Wales experience (WHC/2018/042)
  Guidance to help NHS organisations get feedback about the services they provide.
• Developing a long term and sustainable solution for GP professional indemnity
  Guidance for GPs and stakeholders regarding the Wales state backed GP indemnity scheme.
• National protocol for inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV)
  Protocol for administering inactivated influenza vaccine under the national vaccination programme.
• Allied Health Professionals Dementia Framework for Wales
  How Allied Health Professionals can help improve the lives of people with dementia.
• Unaccompanied asylum seeking children: guidance for social workers
  How to provide support for young people seeking asylum without their family.
• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) pathway: guidance for health professionals (WHC/2019/018)
  Guidance on the provision of communication equipment for people who struggle with speech.
• 'More than just words' Welsh language awareness course (WHC/2022/028)
  Promoting the use of Welsh language services in health and social care.
• NHS Wales blood health plan (WHC/2017/028)
  Guidance for health professionals on when to use blood and blood components in treatment.
• NHS Wales national clinical audit and outcome review plan 2018 to 2019 (WHC/2018/028)
  Guidance for health boards and trusts on the reviews and audits they must complete in 2018 to 2019.
• Introduction of Snomed CT as an NHS information standard (WHC/2015/53)
  Guidance for health professionals on introducing Snomed CT as the single clinical terminology.
• General Medical Practice Indemnity: frequently asked questions
  Information on the Wales GP indemnity scheme.
• National clinical framework: a learning health and care system
  Guidance on how to plan and provide local and national clinical services.
• National workforce implementation plan
  Our plan to meet the challenges facing the NHS Wales workforce.

Policy and background Includes strategy, reports, projects and assessments.

• Chief health professionals
  Policy and strategy
  Our chief health professionals are leaders in their profession and provide expert advice.
• A strategy for nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses
  Policy and strategy
  How we will help nurses and midwives provide better care for patients.
• Nursing and midwifery: priorities 2019 to 2021
  Policy and strategy
  What we are doing to improve the nursing and midwifery profession.
• NHS Wales staff survey 2018: report
  Report
  Results of the annual survey that asks staff about their experience of working for the health service.
• Health professional education investment: report
  Report
  Proposals for a new single body to oversee NHS workforce training and planning.
• Allied Health Professions (AHP) Framework
  Policy and strategy
  Welsh Therapies Advisory Committee
  How AHPs will work in partnership with people to help them lead longer, healthier and happier lives for as long as possible.
• Allied health profession (AHP) careers framework
  Policy and strategy
  Guidance for AHPs to facilitate professional, clinical educational and leadership development.
• NHS audiology service quality standards: national audit report 2019
  Report
  Report on the performance of NHS Wales audioloy services.
• Radiotherapy equipment needs and workforce implications 2006 to 2016
  Report
  Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee
  Update report to 2020 from the cancer national specialist advisory group.
• Genetic and genomic medicine in Wales
  Report
  Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee
  Report by the Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee.
• Directions to Local Health Boards as to the Statement of Financial Entitlements (COVID-19 Suspension of Enhanced Services) (Amendment) Directions 2020
  Legislation
  Directions to local health boards on amendments to the general medical services contract.
• Support for allied health professionals and support workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: December 2020
  Policy and strategy
  Thanks health workers and mentions working outside the usual scope of practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Policy on single use and reusable laryngoscopes (WHC/2020/015)
  Policy and strategy
  What organisations must consider to ensure the safe use of laryngoscopes.
• Supporting the healthcare science workforce throughout the second COVID-19 wave: December 2020
  Policy and strategy
  Letter from the four countries Chief Healthcare Science Officers regarding the second wave of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
• More than just words: Welsh language plan in health and social care
  Policy and strategy
  How we will embed the Welsh language in health and social care so that people can access the care that they deserve and require.
• The Primary Care (Contracted Services: Outpatient Waiting List Scheme) Directions 2022
  Legislation
  Directions and guidance for Local Health Boards on reviewing outpatient waiting lists.
• Review of Cwm Taf University Health Board maternity services 2018: terms of reference
  Policy and strategy
  Independent Maternity Services Oversight Panel, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
  Background, objectives and dates of the safety review of Cwm Taf maternity services.
• The NHS Business Services Authority (Awdurdod Gwasanaethau Busnes y GIG) Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme) (Wales) Directions 2020
  Legislation
  The NHS Business Services Authority is directed to exercise functions in respect of the National Health Service and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance (Wales) Scheme 2020.
• The NHS Blood and Transplant Gwaed a Thrawsblaniadau’r GIG ) (Wales) (Amendment) Directions 2020
  Legislation
  The Directions to NHS Blood and Transplant have been amended in relation to the allocation of organs for transplantation to ensure that an individual who is, or should have been, eligible to be in Group 1 on the 31 December 2020 will continue to be eligible from the 1 January 2021.
• The Pharmaceutical Services (Fees for Applications) (Wales) Directions 2021
  Legislation
  These Directions require LHBs to charge a specified fee for applications for inclusion in or amendment to a pharmaceutical list.
• NHS Wales health system position report
  Report
  An assessment of the emerging impact of pressures on the NHS Wales health and social care system.
• Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016: nurse staffing level reports 2018 to 2021
  Report
  Summary of health boards’ nurse staffing levels reports as per section 25E of the Nurse Staffing Levels (Wales) Act 2016.
• The Directions to Local Health Boards as to the Statement of Financial Entitlements (Amendment) (No. 4) Directions 2022
  Legislation
  Fee scales for dispensing doctors from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 and from 1 April 2023.
• Additional payment for social care workers aligned to the Real Living Wage: impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  How the additional payment will impact on different areas.