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The Chief Nursing Officer for Wales is the most senior advisor on nursing matters to the Welsh Government, and is the head of profession for nursing and midwifery in Wales. The holder of the post also serves as nurse director for NHS Wales, with responsibility for the quality of nursing and midwifery services within the Welsh NHS. The CNO for Wales also works with the Chief Nursing Officers of the other three home nations and professional regulators on issues relevant to nursing. The role is non-statutory.

History
The post was established after the transfer of responsibility for health in Wales from the Department of Health and Social Security to the Welsh Office in 1969, and during the NHS reorganisation process of the early 1970s, as part of a strengthening of the Welsh Office's healthcare personnel. Previously, the Welsh Board of Health had chosen not to appoint its own Chief Nursing Officer, and had relied on the Chief Nursing Officer for England for advice.

The Chief Nursing Officer was responsible to senior civil servants in the Welsh Office. They were head of the Welsh Office Nursing Division, and prior to the establishment of the Welsh Assembly Government were responsible for advising the Secretary of State for Wales and senior Welsh Office civil servants on nursing, midwifery and health visiting matters. In 1984, a quarter of the CNO's time was dedicated to general NHS and health policy, another quarter was spent on matters of NHS management and efficiency, whilst five percent of their time was alloted to each of the five areas of NHS pay, conditions and personnel issues; professional and para-professional training; acute nursing; community nursing and maternity services.

Upon the creation of the WAG, the CNO and Nursing Division formed part of the Government's NHS Directorate. Under devolution the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer merged with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer to form the Department of Public Health and Health Professions: under this arrangement the CNO reports to the CMO.

Publications
Holders of the office have written articles for nursing and other healthcare journals whilst in post,  including pieces jointly written with CNOs for the other home nations. Although they do not produce an annual report, they have made contributions to the Chief Medical Officer's annual report and they have also produced ad hoc reports for government.

In addition, they are also responsible for a series of government circulars, the Chief Nursing Officer ciculars. The circulars are distributed across NHS Wales and inform personnel about a range of issues relevant to nursing in Wales, including guidance for clinical practice, the management, organisation, administration and provision of clinical services, consultations on proposed policy changes, and strategic matters. Electronic copies of the ciculars can be retrieved via the Welsh Government Publications Catalogue.

Chief Nursing Officers for Wales

 * 1972 to 1981: Edith Alice Bell
 * 1982 to 1988: Yvonne Moores
 * 1988: Gillian Stephens (acting)
 * 1988 to c. 1998: Marion Bull
 * 1999 to 2010: Rosemary Kennedy
 * 2010 to present: Jean White

Deputy Chief Nursing Officers for Wales

 * ? to c.1987: Gillian Stephens
 * c.1988: Michael Tonkin
 * c.1989 to 1997: Beryl Melvin