Response to the announcement of the new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Responding to the announcement of the new Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Darren Hughes said:
“We congratulate and welcome Jeremy Miles to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care at what is one of the most challenging times in the history of the health and care system.
“With just over 18 months until the next Senedd election, the pressure is on for the new cabinet secretary to enable the healthcare system transform services and improve outcomes for patients across Wales.
“We all know where we want to be, but with historically difficult financial positions, we must work together across sectors and government departments to tackle the barriers to transforming health and care for the better.
The six key enabling priorities for NHS leaders in Wales are:
- A government-led national conversation on how the health and care system can innovate and transform to meet the needs of future generations.
- A strong central steer on service redesign, supported by simplified local consultation.
- A ten-year capital investment plan to reshape NHS estates and infrastructure (including digital), authorising new capital funding models to enable investment.
- Providing certainty on long-term funding including a long-term planning framework for financial recovery.
- Workforce: Making the NHS a more attractive place to work and build a career to bolster the NHS’s ability to recruit and retain its workforce, and
- Shifting resources towards preventative activity across the whole public sector, progressing towards One Welsh Public Service.
“NHS leaders are committed to working with the government and partners across public, private and third sector to collectively to tackle the challenges facing health and care in Wales.”
