- New group of NHS surgeons, nurses and managers will plan up
to ten elective care hubs across Wales
- Hubs will increase surgical and diagnostic capacity and
protect planned care from emergency pressures
- Delivery plan to be published by end of 2026
An expert and clinically-led group is being set up
to produce a delivery plan for up to ten elective care hubs
across Wales.
It fulfils a key action of the new Welsh Government's
First 100 day plan.
The hubs are at the heart of tackling the waiting list
backlog inherited from the previous administration
ensuring quicker access to treatment and improved outcomes for
patients.
They will be implemented and operationalised over the course of
this Senedd term.
They will increase capacity for planned surgery and
diagnostics, reduce cancellations and help cut long waiting times
by separating planned care from emergency pressures.
The development of the hubs will be outlined
in recommendations to the Cabinet Minister for Health &
Care by the end of the year.
The Elective Care Expert Group brings
together senior surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists and
operational leaders from across NHS Wales.
The independent clinical chair will be Rhidian Morgan-Jones, a
recently retired Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, with experience
of working in Wales and England, who is currently an elected
British Orthopaedics Association (BOA) trustee and serves on
several national committees.
Professor Jon Barry, Director Wales of the Royal College of
Surgeons, will provide learning from across the
UK.
Group members also include National Clinical Lead for
Anaesthetics, Dr Claire R Dunstan, Lead
Nurse for Anaesthetics, Critical Care & Theatres
Sophie O'Donovan and Corrina Casey, Director of
Performance & Delivery at NHS WalesPerformanceand
Improvement.
The group will draw on learning from existing hubs in Wales
as well as best practice from across the UK and
internationally.
Cabinet Minister for Health and Care said:
Increasing capacity for planned surgery and diagnostics and
cutting long waiting times by separating planned care from
emergency pressures is a key priority for this new Welsh
Government. We have already announced £145m of investment to
support these aims.
This expert group will plan out how many elective care hubs we
will need, where they will be based and how they will
increase capacity in the system.
"We want planning for these hubs to be led by the people who know
best the surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists working on
the front line every day.
Their expertise will ensure we build a planned care system that
is resilient, efficient and works for patients across
Wales.
Notes to editors
Chair and membership
The group is chaired by Rhidian Morgan-Jones, a recently retired
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Core members include senior clinical and operational leaders from
across NHS Wales, spanning surgery, orthopaedics, spinal care,
ophthalmology, anaesthetics, gastroenterology, diagnostics and
nursing:
Gethin Hughes, Chief Operating Officer, Cwm Taf Morgannwg
University Health Board, Sharron Price (Group Nurse Director,
SBUHB), Sophie O'Donovan (Lead Nurse, Anaesthetics, Critical Care
& Theatres, CTM), Mr Ken Harries and Mr Richard Egan
(Consultant Surgeons, National Clinical Directors for Planned
Care), Professor Jon Barry (Consultant Bariatric Surgeon), Dr
Claire R Dunstan (Consultant Anaesthetist), Mr Owain Ennis, Mr
Navin Philip Verghese and Mrs Rhiannon Reynolds (Consultant
Surgeons, Clinical Implementation Network Leads), Mrs Corrina
Casey (Director of Performance & Delivery, NHS Wales) and Dr
Neil Hawkes (Consultant Gastroenterologist, National Clinical
Lead for Diagnostics).
- The group can co-opt additional specialists and independent
advisors as needed.
- Secretariat support will be provided by NHS Wales Performance
and Improvement.
