New plans to cut waiting times, recruit more GPs and move care out
of hospitals and into communities are being outlined by Wales' new
Health Minister, .
- Up to ten new surgical and diagnostic hubs to be developed
across Wales over four years
- Two-year waits to be eliminated within months
- New GPs, expanded out-of-hours care and stronger community
services to ease hospital pressure
A programme of up to ten surgical and diagnostic hubs will be
developed over the next four years to increase capacity of the
NHS and cut delays.
Two-year waits will be eliminated within months, with the overall
backlog reduced to pre-pandemic levels before the end of this
Senedd term.
Up to 100 new salaried GPs will be recruited and access to
out-of-hours primary care expanded to reduce pressure on
hospitals.
Community care will be expanded and discharge planning
strengthened, so people spend less time in hospital and more time
living well at home.
A ten-year Digital and Data Strategy will modernise NHS
infrastructure, and a long-term workforce strategy will be
published this autumn.
Due to a shortage of available posts for this year's nursing,
midwifery and paramedic graduates, organisations will be brought
together at a summit to consider immediate support and options to
prevent similar problems in the future.
, Cabinet Minister for
Health and Care, said:
Having to wait years for treatment, with all the pain and anxiety
that entails, is an intolerable reality for far too many people
in Wales.
With urgency, decisive action and ambition, we will protect the
NHS and build a healthier, fairer Wales — with a health and care
system that puts people first and delivers the change our nation
needs.
