The National Acuity Audit is a bi-annual audit of patient acuity across NHS Wales.

For the purpose of the bi-annual audit, patient acuity data is collected during the months of January and June, at 15:00 hrs each day, as stipulated by the Chief Nursing Officer. The more data that is collected, the more robust and reliable picture of a ward’s caseload will be obtained.

Data must be recorded on every patient, 7 days a week, for the full calendar month for the period of the acuity audit.

National Early Warning Score(s).

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National Health Service.

A registered nurse who has a live registration on sub parts 1 or 2 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register.

The total number of registered nurses plus the number of persons providing care under the supervision of, or discharging duties delegated to them by a registered nurse, e.g. HCSWs. The nurse staffing level refers to the required establishment and the planned roster.

The Nurse Staffing Level (Wales) Act 2016 became law in Wales in March 2016. The Act requires health service bodies to make provision for an appropriate nurse staffing level wherever nursing services are provided, and to ensure that they are providing sufficient nurses to allow them time to care for patients sensitively. This requirement extends to anywhere NHS Wales provides, or commissions a third party to provide, nurses.

Technical detail about the condition and interventions required at each level.