A BILL that would make Wales the first country in the UK to set up a legal duty for safe nurse staffing levels in hospitals has been introduced in the Assembly.

Welsh Liberal Democrats, leader Kirsty Williams AM has developed the More Nurses Bill, which she says moves the issue on from Senedd debates that have been based on its general principle.

The bill is now formally published and will head to the Assembly’s health committee for the first stage of scrutiny.

More than 4,500 people have either signed petitions or written to their AM urging them to back the bill.

Last December, Ms Williams was successful in the National Assembly’s ballot to introduce backbench legislation.

“It’s time for a good news story in the Welsh NHS and this bill has to the potential to be just that,” she said.

“Safe nursing levels are a bedrock for effective care. Nurses provide round the clock care for patients, and work in every kind of healthcare setting. Quite simply, nurse staffing levels are too important to be left to ‘guidance’.

“Making safe nursing levels a statutory responsibility will provide a legislative basis for patients and staff to challenge poor levels of nurse staffing. Nurses with fewer patients to care for, can spend more time with each patient. As a result, they can provide better care.”