Ahead of the Senned elections next year, the Welsh NHS Confederation has set out what NHS leaders need the next Welsh government to prioritise.
The Welsh NHS Confederation, which represents all the organisations that make up the NHS in Wales, has set out what NHS leaders need the next Welsh government to prioritise as health and care services face rising demand ahead of the Senedd elections next year.
It is calling for a cross-government national strategy to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities; investment in a long-term plan for the NHS and social care workforce and their education; a joint health and social care performance and financial framework for seamless care and support; the establishment of an independent rapid review to develop a long-term agreement on the sustainability of the social care system; as well as a long-term capital and infrastructure strategy.
“The needs of the population are ever evolving,” said Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation.
“Over the next decade, it’s imperative there is a fundamental shift in the health and social care system. At its heart, this is about moving from a reactive model (treating people when they are unwell) to a proactive one (focusing on prevention and early intervention),” he continued.
It is a point that Mabon ap Gwynfor, member of the Senedd for Dwyfor Meirionnydd and Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for health, social care and housing, made to Healthcare Today in February.
“The current system primarily focuses on treating illness rather than promoting health. In Wales, and indeed much of the UK, what we have is not a National Health Service but a National Illness Service,” he said.
A burning demographic platform
The Confederation said that health and social care services are already responding to high levels of demand and over-stretched resources, while standing at the cliff face of “a burning demographic platform” that will pose ever increasing challenges in delivering high-quality and safe health and social care services.
This includes the proportion of the population aged 80 and over doubling between 2000 to 2038 and the number of people living with four or more long term conditions predicted almost to double by 2035.
NHS leaders within the Confederation are calling on the next Welsh government to give the health and social care system the support and tools to deliver fundamental change.
“There’s an alarming wave of demographic and population health challenges heading our way, but there’s an opportunity to make significant improvements to the health and wellbeing of our nation in just five to ten years, benefiting millions of people, our economy and our health and social care system,” said Hughes.
“This requires a whole-system, partnership approach to health and wellbeing across the wider determinants of health, as well as bringing the public with us to realise this transformation. But the government must initiate the drive for better health and empower all parts of society to work together to make this happen.”
