As students across South Wales prepare to graduate this week, proposed cuts to courses at universities across the country are once again being scrutinised by politicians.

Students at Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University and the University of South Wales will all be graduating this week, but the warning coming from a local Senedd Member is that many future students won’t be able to stay here to contribute to the workforce as a direct result of slashing courses.

Laura Anne Jones MS has sounded the alarm over Cardiff University’s proposed cuts to its undergraduate nursing courses, warning that the decision risks deepening Wales’ NHS staffing crisis and increases reliance on migrant healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, the university says it is reviewing previous plans to axe its School of Nursing and is now considering a proposal that involves teaching fewer undergraduates.

“Cutting Cardiff’s nursing courses during a nurse shortage is an act of reckless irresponsibility,” said Ms Jones.

“These proposals will not only shrink our home-grown pipeline of health professionals, but force us to rely even more on immigration to fill those roles, at a time when the public have made it clear they want immigration levels cut.”

The Senedd Member for South Wales East and Shadow Minister for Housing, Local Government and the Armed Forces, has called on the Welsh Government to intervene for the sake of the future workforce.

“The Welsh Government must urgently intervene, fully back Cardiff’s nursing school, and secure our future health workforce.”

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) reports that Wales currently faces approximately 2,000 registered nurse vacancies.

With nursing training reducing, the Ms Jones argues the NHS is set to rely even more heavily on nurses from overseas. Earlier this year, the Welsh Government recruited 200 nurses from Kerala in India, with the Health Minister claiming the move would reduce vacancies and the use of agency staff.