Next Welsh Government must think long term to make health and social care sustainable

The Welsh NHS Confederation (WNHSC) has set out the priorities NHS leaders want to see in political parties’ manifestos ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.  

The WNHSC is the membership body that represents all the organisations that make up the NHS in Wales. Based on extensive engagement with members, including a survey of 95 NHS leaders, they have identified the five most critical factors that will help to secure the future of health and social care and build the health and wellbeing of the nation.

These are to:

• Deliver a cross-government national strategy to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities
• Invest in a long-term plan for the NHS and social care workforce and their education
• Publish a joint health and social care performance and financial framework for seamless care and support 
• Establish an independent rapid review to develop a long-term agreement on the sustainability of the social care system 
• Launch a long-term capital and infrastructure strategy 

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+ Long Term Conditions predicted to almost double by 2035*. 

NHS leaders are calling on the next Welsh Government to give the health and social care system the support and tools to deliver fundamental change so our NHS and social care services can be sustainable for decades to come. This includes putting the infrastructure in place to create healthier, more resilient communities. This means taking action on shifting more investment into the community and prioritising prevention across all government departments and the public, private and third sectors.

Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, Darren Hughes, said: 

“The needs of the population are ever evolving. 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). 

“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. 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. 

“We need to consider what we can do nationally, regionally, locally and personally to meet these challenges head on. This is about us all working differently to improve the nations’ health and wellbeing and enabling our members, NHS leaders, to deliver on the aspiration to move resources into prevention, primary and community-based care.

“The only way we’re going to achieve a sustainable health and social care system is by working in partnership to collectively transform services and reduce ever growing demand.”

The WNHSC and NHS leaders will be engaging with politicians in the weeks and months to come, with a more detailed publication to follow which looks at each of the five areas and what needs to be done to achieve a sustainable health and social care system for the people of Wales.

*Statistics source: NHS in 10+ years 

Rhaid i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru feddwl yn y tymor hir i wneud iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol yn gynaliadwy

Mae arweinwyr y GIG eisiau i Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru ganolbwyntio ar atal, gweithlu, perfformiad a fframweithiau ariannol, gofal cymdeithasol ac ystadau a seilwaith er mwyn rhoi’r GIG a gofal cymdeithasol ar sylfaen gynaliadwy ac adeiladu iechyd a llesiant y genedl.

Mae Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru (WNHSC) wedi nodi’r blaenoriaethau y mae arweinwyr y GIG am eu gweld ym maniffestos pleidiau gwleidyddol cyn etholiad y Senedd yn 2026.

Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru (WNHSC) yw’r corff aelodaeth sy’n cynrychioli’r holl sefydliadau sy’n rhan o GIG Cymru. Yn seiliedig ar ymgysylltu helaeth ag aelodau, sy’n cynnwys arolwg o 95 o arweinwyr y GIG, maent wedi nodi’r pum ffactor pwysicaf a fydd yn helpu i sicrhau dyfodol iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol ac adeiladu iechyd a llesiant y genedl.

Mae'r rhain er mwyn:

• Cyflwyno strategaeth genedlaethol drawslywodraethol i wella iechyd a llesiant a lleihau anghydraddoldebau
  
• Buddsoddi mewn cynllun hirdymor ar gyfer y GIG a’r gweithlu gofal cymdeithasol a’u haddysg
  
• Cyhoeddi fframwaith perfformiad ac ariannol ar y cyd ar gyfer iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i gael gofal a chymorth di-dor 
  
• Sefydlu adolygiad cyflym annibynnol i ddatblygu cytundeb hirdymor ar gynaliadwyedd y system gofal cymdeithasol 
  
• Lansio strategaeth cyfalaf a seilwaith hirdymor

Mae gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol eisoes yn ymateb i lefelau uchel o alw ac adnoddau sydd wedi’u gorymestyn, tra’n sefyll ar tra'n wynebu demograffeg heriol a fydd yn cyflwyno heriau cynyddol o ran darparu gwasanaethau iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol diogel o ansawdd uchel. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cyfran y boblogaeth 80 oed a hŷn yn dyblu rhwng 2000 a 2038 a rhagwelir y bydd nifer y bobl sy'n byw gyda phedwar+ o Gyflyrau Hirdymor bron yn dyblu.*.

Mae arweinwyr y GIG yn galw ar Lywodraeth nesaf Cymru i roi’r cymorth a’r offer i’r system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol i gyflawni newid sylfaenol fel y gall ein GIG a gwasanaethau gofal cymdeithasol fod yn gynaliadwy am ddegawdau i ddod. Mae hyn yn cynnwys rhoi’r seilwaith yn ei le i greu cymunedau iachach a mwy cadarn. Mae’n golygu cymryd camau i symud mwy o fuddsoddiad i'r gymuned a blaenoriaethu atal ar draws holl adrannau'r llywodraeth a'r sector cyhoeddus, y sector preifat a'r trydydd sector.

Dywedodd Darren Hughes, Cyfarwyddwr Conffederasiwn GIG Cymru:

“Mae anghenion y boblogaeth yn esblygu’n barhaus. Dros y degawd nesaf, mae'n hollbwysig bod newid sylfaenol yn y system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Wrth ei wraidd, mae hyn yn ymwneud â symud o fodel ymatebol (trin pobl pan fyddant yn sâl) i fodel rhagweithiol (canolbwyntio ar atal ac ymyrraeth gynnar).

“Mae yna don frawychus o heriau demograffig ac iechyd y boblogaeth ar y ffordd, ond dyma gyfle i wneud gwelliannau sylweddol i iechyd a llesiant ein cenedl mewn dim ond pump i ddeng mlynedd, er budd miliynau o bobl, ein heconomi a’n system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol. Mae hyn yn gofyn am ddull partneriaeth, system gyfan o ymdrin ag iechyd a llesiant ar draws penderfynyddion ehangach iechyd, yn ogystal â dod â’r cyhoedd gyda ni i wireddu’r trawsnewid hwn. Ond rhaid i'r llywodraeth roi cychwyn ar yr ymgyrch am well iechyd a grymuso pob rhan o gymdeithas i gydweithio i wireddu hyn.

“Mae angen i ni ystyried beth allwn ni ei wneud yn genedlaethol, yn rhanbarthol, yn lleol ac yn bersonol i gwrdd â’r heriau hyn yn uniongyrchol. Mae hyn yn ymwneud â phawb yn gweithio'n wahanol i wella iechyd a llesiant y genedl a galluogi ein haelodau, arweinwyr y GIG, i gyflawni'r dyhead i symud adnoddau i atal, gofal sylfaenol a gofal yn y gymuned.

“Yr unig ffordd rydyn ni’n mynd i gyflawni system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gynaliadwy yw trwy weithio mewn partneriaeth i drawsnewid gwasanaethau ar y cyd a lleihau’r galw cynyddol.”

Bydd WNHSC ac arweinwyr y GIG yn ymgysylltu â gwleidyddion yn yr wythnosau a’r misoedd i ddod, a bydd cyhoeddiad manylach i ddilyn sy’n edrych ar bob un o’r pum maes a’r hyn sydd angen ei wneud er mwyn sicrhau system iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol gynaliadwy i bobl Cymru.

*Ffynhonnell ystadegau: GIG ymhen 10+ mlynedd

About us

We are the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The members we represent employ 1.5 million staff, care for more than 1 million patients a day and control £150 billion of public expenditure. We promote collaboration and partnership working as the key to improving population health, delivering high-quality care and reducing health inequalities.