News

Student nurses fear unemployment as jobs crisis hits Wales

Published

1 month ago

April 9, 2026

FINAL-YEAR student nurses training in west Wales say they are facing the “very real possibility” of unemployment after being told a key recruitment process has been delayed because of a shortage of available posts.

Members of the S23 Adult Nursing cohort based in Carmarthen have written to The Herald describing growing alarm and frustration after being informed that streamlining, the process used to match newly qualified nurses to jobs, had been postponed for a second time.

The cohort said the delay had left students fearing they could complete three years of demanding training only to find there were no jobs waiting for them in the NHS in Wales.

In a letter sent to The Herald, the students said: “We are not writing this letter out of anger, but out of deep desperation and disappointment. After all our hard work, we are now being faced with the very real possibility of unemployment.”

The students said they had spent the past three years training and working across hospital and community settings, carrying out the full range of duties expected of nursing staff while completing the 2,300 hours required to qualify.

They said that had meant working days, nights, weekends and holidays, missing important family events, and taking on emotionally and physically demanding duties without pay.

The cohort wrote: “We have cleaned bodily fluids, administered medication, witnessed and assisted in surgical procedures, dressed wounds, rehabilitated patients and performed CPR. We have supported patients and families across all stages of life, from supporting new mothers to holding a patient’s hand as they take their last breaths.”

They added: “We have done all this, without salaries, driven by the belief in our NHS, our desire to serve our wider community, and our understanding that we, as nurses, are in high demand.”

However, students say that confidence has now been shaken.

They told The Herald that on Monday, April 7, many were preparing to enter streamlining the following day when they received an email stating that the planned date of April 8 would no longer go ahead.

Instead, the process has been pushed back until May 11 because the number of available roles is said to be significantly lower than the number of graduating students.

Students say they have been warned that even with the delay, the problem is not expected to be resolved.

There are 23 student nurses in the Carmarthen adult nursing cohort alone. One student told The Herald the issue is likely to affect far more people across Wales, including students on adult, paediatric, mental health and learning disability pathways.

She said there are an estimated 130 adult nursing students across Carmarthen and Swansea campuses, although the full number affected across all courses and universities is not yet known.

The students said they are now facing uncertainty over how they will support themselves once student funding comes to an end.

They wrote: “We have spent three years being unable to take on regular work, in order to prioritise our studies. When our student funding ends, how will we survive? How will we support our families?

“How have we been able to train for jobs that don’t exist?”

The cohort said they had been led to believe that training as nurses would provide a clear path into employment, particularly as those receiving NHS bursary support are expected to work in Wales for two years after qualifying.

Although the Royal College of Nursing has reportedly indicated that students who fail to secure a role would not be required to repay their funding, the cohort says this does not address the wider problem.

They stressed that they do not blame their university, which they said had been “honest, transparent and supportive” throughout the course, but said urgent action was now needed.

The students are calling for answers on why there was so little warning, whether newly qualified nurses will be allowed to seek work outside Wales if no posts are available, and why so many students continue to be recruited into nursing courses if there are not enough jobs at the end of training.

One student told The Herald she was willing to speak publicly about the issue. She said the cohort has already sent its letter to members of Hywel Dda University Health Board and is in the process of sending it to others across Wales, including the university, the Welsh Government and the RCN.

So far, she said, only the RCN has responded.

The Herald has approached Hywel Dda University Health Board, Health Education and Improvement Wales, the Welsh Government and the Royal College of Nursing for comment.

Community

Concern grows after child hospitalised following Tenby sea swim

Published

1 hour ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PARENT SAYS BOY BECAME SERIOUSLY ILL AFTER SWIMMING DURING FAMILY VISIT

CONCERN is growing in Pembrokeshire after a parent claimed their child was admitted to hospital after swimming in the sea at Tenby.

The post, shared in a local Tenby Facebook group, said the family had visited the resort between Monday and Thursday, with the boy swimming in the sea on Tuesday (May 6).

His parent wrote: “My son swam in the sea on the 6th and the next morning came down with terrible sickness and diarrhoea — he’s been very unwell since and has tonight been admitted to hospital.”

They added: “It’s terrible we can’t swim in our seas and rivers safely anymore. Please be aware.”

The post prompted hundreds of reactions and dozens of comments, with many people expressing sympathy for the family and others raising wider concerns about sewage pollution and water quality around the Pembrokeshire coast.

One commenter said: “This is a national disgrace, please put in a written complaint to Dŵr Cymru and Natural Resources Wales.”

Another asked: “Why were there no signs put up on the beaches to warn people it was unsafe to swim in?”

Others claimed they or family members had suffered illness after swimming at locations including Tenby, Amroth, Newgale and Coppet Hall.

One person wrote: “I got sepsis from a cut in Newgale surfing. Took six weeks in hospital and seven months recovery and still not right to get over it.”

Another said: “Please check with your son’s doctors regarding E.coli and a condition called HUS, which can develop from E.coli. My daughter swam at Amroth in 2022 after a sewage incident in the area and became seriously ill.”

No medical evidence has been published linking the latest reported illness directly to seawater exposure, and there is currently no official confirmation that conditions at Tenby caused the child’s illness.

However, the post has reignited anger over sewage discharges, pollution alerts and the information available to visitors and local people before entering the water.

Lydstep warning

The concern follows a recent warning at Lydstep Haven after Natural Resources Wales informed Pembrokeshire County Council of an “abnormal situation” which could temporarily affect bathing water quality.

Pembrokeshire County Council said officers from its Pollution Control Team had placed warning notices at various locations around the beach, temporarily advising against bathing while the matter was investigated.

Some residents questioned whether warnings were clear enough, particularly during busy holiday periods.

One commenter wrote: “Why aren’t there any warnings to holiday makers and visitors to our local area? It’s not fair that they find out information after someone becomes ill.”

Another said: “There should be notices and announcements on the beaches if there is an outage.”

Others pointed out that Surfers Against Sewage’s water quality app was not showing an active alert for Tenby itself, and suggested some online comments may have confused the current Lydstep warning with previous pollution notices affecting beaches in the Tenby area.

Protest at Broad Haven

The issue comes less than a week before campaigners stage a Surfers Against Sewage paddle-out protest at Broad Haven.

The protest is due to take place on Saturday, May 16, at 1:30pm, as part of a UK-wide day of action calling for an end to sewage pollution in rivers and seas.

Surfers Against Sewage says communities across the UK will gather on beaches, riverbanks and in the water to demand stronger action on sewage pollution.

The campaign group said: “We are sick of it. Sick of the lies, sick of the greed and sick of a system that’s rigged against us.”

A large banner has already been placed on Broad Haven seafront encouraging people to attend the protest.

Tourism concerns

The row has also raised concerns about the potential impact on Pembrokeshire’s tourism industry, with Tenby, Broad Haven, Newgale and other seaside communities heavily dependent on visitors during the spring and summer months.

One commenter wrote: “Not very good for a holiday destination is it.”

Another said: “Tourism will be massively affected by incidents like this, and people’s health and lives are being put at risk.”

Others called for stronger action from Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.

The Herald has approached Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water for comment.

Community

Milford Haven remembers those lost at sea

Published

2 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

National Fishing Remembrance Day marked by Port

MILFORD HAVEN came together on Sunday (May 10) to remember those who have lost their lives at sea.

The Port of Milford Haven joined the Fishermen’s Mission, Stella Maris – Apostleship of the Sea and members of the local community for a National Fishing Remembrance Day service at St Katherine’s and St Peter’s Church.

The service was followed by a gathering at the Fisherman’s Memorial on The Rath, where those who never returned home from the sea were remembered.

Canon Chancellor John Cecil and Reverend Paul Osunyikanmi led what was described as a moving service of remembrance.

The Port of Milford Haven said it was honoured to take part in the event, paying tribute to fishing families and the wider maritime community.

The annual day of remembrance holds particular significance in Milford Haven, a town with deep fishing and seafaring roots.

Local Government

Jonathan Grimes becomes 647th Mayor of Pembroke

Published

3 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

JONATHAN GRIMES has said he is “incredibly proud and deeply honoured” after becoming the 647th Mayor of Pembroke.

Cllr Grimes, county councillor for Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, thanked those who had placed their trust and confidence in him.

He said: “With the support, commitment and dedication of Pembroke Town Council and our wonderful community, I am confident we can meet every challenge together, celebrate our successes, and continue building a brighter and more inclusive future for Pembroke.

“It is a true privilege to serve as Mayor, and I look forward to working alongside the people of Pembroke in the months ahead.”

Cllr Grimes said he was also looking forward to attending this afternoon’s service at St Mary’s Church in Pembroke for the Blessing of the Bells.

He added that he hoped to meet as many people as possible as the town celebrates the return of the historic bells.