MS, Cabinet Minister for
Health and Care: The Welsh Government's first
100-day plan included a commitment to commission an
independent review of NHS performance in Wales, with a particular
focus on the impact of waiting lists on population health, and to
commission a review of health-based inequalities in Wales. I am
today confirming that, following advice from officials, the
review of NHS performance in Wales will be undertaken by the
Health Foundation.
I have been clear from the outset that inherited waits for
treatment are unacceptable, which is why we have made addressing
this issue our key priority in Government. I also firmly believe
that health inequalities remain too prevalent in Wales. Ensuring
that access to services and outcomes of treatment are equitable
across Wales, regardless of individual circumstances or
geographic location, is a driving mission of this Government.
It is vital in this respect that we build a strong body of
evidence on how the legacy of long waits and healthcare
inequalities have detrimentally affected our population health in
recent years which in turn will be invaluable in informing our
approach to addressing them.
The review will provide an objective assessment of current NHS
performance, the main factors driving performance challenges, and
the priorities for action to improve performance and outcomes,
reduce unwarranted variation and strengthen public confidence.
It will also aim to examine the relationship between waiting
times, population health, inequalities and outcomes, including
the extent to which delays may impact on people's health
conditions or unequal access to timely care. It will also
identify opportunities to improve productivity, value and
delivery across the system, and consider whether current
approaches are sufficiently focused on meaningful improvement and
population health impact.
The Health Foundation propose to undertake a rapid,
evidence-informed review, using a mix of analytical assessment,
policy analysis and stakeholder engagement. The review will be
structured around internationally recognised health system
performance assessment frameworks, adapted to the Welsh context
and aligned with the NHS Wales Performance Framework and headline
policy commitments.
It will include analysis of priority indicators across population
health, access, quality and outcomes, and use of resources,
supported by engagement with key system leaders and partnership
working with Public Health Wales on relevant areas of analysis,
including the impact of waiting times on health and inequalities.
I expect the review to report its findings and recommendations to
me by the end of March 2027. I will provide a further update
following consideration of the final report.
