The NHS Wales Rostering Principles were commissioned by the Value and Sustainability Board to establish a consistent, evidence-informed approach to nursing rostering across NHS Wales. Developed collaboratively by the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer (Welsh Government), the All-Wales Nurse Staffing Programme within NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, and NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, the principles respond to variation in local rostering practices and provide a national framework to support safe staffing, equitable workforce deployment, effective governance, and financial sustainability. Their intention is to promote greater consistency, transparency, and assurance in rostering, ensuring that workforce planning is aligned with patient need, professional judgement, and statutory requirements while supporting staff wellbeing and the delivery of high-quality care.
The All-Wales Nurse Staffing Programme (AWNSP) is supporting Health Boards and Trusts to embed the principles into local rostering policies and practice, promoting a consistent national approach to safe, equitable, and effective workforce deployment. This work includes supporting implementation, sharing best practice, and developing national assurance arrangements, standardised metrics, and e-rostering capabilities to enable consistent monitoring, benchmarking, and continuous improvement across Wales. Together, these developments will help strengthen patient safety, improve staff experience, and support more sustainable workforce planning.