Health and social care strategy

Guidance and services

• National clinical framework: a learning health and care system
  Guidance on how to plan and provide local and national clinical services.
• Publication of the quality and safety framework (WHC/2021/022)
  We have published the Quality and Safety Framework for NHS staff.
• Standardisation of nursing core risk assessment documents (WHC/2019/026)
  Guidance for health boards and trusts on standardising documents used for patient assessments.
• Independent review of the health protection system in Wales online survey: privacy notice
  Privacy notice for Independent review of the health protection system in Wales online survey.
• Commencement of the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020 (WHC/2023/06)
  A letter to health workers on the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020 that will commence on 1 April 2023.
• Code of practice for Llais on accessing premises and engaging people
  How Llais can access places where health or social care services take place to get people’s views, and how that engagement happens.
• Citizen Voice Body (Llais) term of government remit letter 2023 to 2026
  Letter acknowledging the work on the establishment of Llais.
• NHS framework for research and development (WHC/2023/026)
  Letter to NHS organisations on the publication of the NHS research and development framework.
• Patient testing framework for autumn/winter 2023 (WHC/2023/037)
  Letter to health boards and trusts about updated guidance to COVID-19 patient testing.

Policy and background Includes strategy, reports, projects and assessments.

• A healthier Wales: long term plan for health and social care
  Policy and strategy
  How we will ensure that people stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.
• Chief health professionals
  Policy and strategy
  Our chief health professionals are leaders in their profession and provide expert advice.
• Special procedures (acupuncture, piercing, electrolysis and tattooing): implementation update
  Report
  Monthly update on a new licensing scheme for people who offer special procedures.
• Transforming and modernising planned care and reducing NHS waiting lists
  Policy and strategy
  Our programme for transforming and modernising planned care in Wales and reducing waiting lists.
• Improving health and social care (COVID-19 looking forward)
  Policy and strategy
  How we will build better, fairer and more equal health and social care services to deal with the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Winter respiratory vaccination strategy: autumn and winter 2022 to 2023
  Policy and strategy
  How we will protect those who are most vulnerable from COVID-19 and influenza.
• Substance misuse delivery plan: 2019 to 2022
  Policy and strategy
  How we will continue to reduce the harms associated with substance misuse during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Six goals for urgent and emergency care: policy handbook for 2021 to 2026
  Policy and strategy
  Our priorities for urgent and emergency care to ensure that patients get the right care, in the right place, first time.
• Outpatient services strategy and action plan 2020 to 2023
  Policy and strategy
  Our strategy for modernising and transforming the delivery of outpatient services.
• Chief Medical Officer's annual reports and data
  Collection
  An overview of the health and wellbeing of the Welsh population.
• NHS Quality and Safety Framework
  Policy and strategy
  This framework describes what quality looks like. It explains what needs to be in place to be sure of high quality health and care services at all times.
• Maternity services strategy (2019 to 2024)
  Policy and strategy
  What we will do to ensure safe and high quality care for mothers and babies during pregnancy, childbirth and following birth.
• Code of Practice on the delivery of autism services
  Policy and strategy
  The range and quality of autism services that local authorities, health boards and trusts should provide in their local areas.
• Digital health and social care strategy
  Policy and strategy
  How we will use technology and greater access to information to improve health and wellbeing.
• Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement)
  Collection
  A summary and explanation of the law to improve quality and public engagement in health and social care.
• NHS Wales decarbonisation strategic delivery plan
  Policy and strategy
  Our plan for reducing the environmental impact of the NHS and addressing climate change.
• Health Weight: Healthy Wales obesity strategy
  Collection
  What we are doing to support people to make healthier choices and lead more active lives.
• Strategy for unpaid carers
  Collection
  Improving the recognition of and support to unpaid carers.
• Allied Health Professions (AHP) Framework
  Policy and strategy
  Welsh Allied Health Professions (AHP) Committee
  How AHPs will work in partnership with people to help them lead longer, healthier and happier lives for as long as possible.
• A healthier Wales: Welsh language impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  An assessment of how our long term plan for health and social care will affect Welsh language standards.
• UK allied health professions public health strategic framework: 2019 to 2024
  Report
  Welsh Allied Health Professions (AHP) Committee
  Report looking at how we and our partners will make improvements to public health over the next 5 years.
• Public health outcomes framework
  Policy and strategy
  How we will measure and improve the health and wellbeing of the population.
• Suicide and self harm prevention strategy 2015 to 2022
  Policy and strategy
  What we will do to reduce suicide and self harm rates and support people to prevent suicide and self harm.
• Trusted to Care: 1 year review
  Report
  What we have done to improve health care following the Trusted to Care report.
• Healthcare science in NHS Wales
  Policy and strategy
  How we will use the healthcare science workforce to improve our health service.
• Review of learning disabilities nursing
  Report
  How we will improve expert nursing to help people with a learning disability.
• Healthcare for Gypsies and Travellers: outcomes
  Report
  How we measured the success of our policy to improve the health of Gypsies and Travellers.
• Imaging services for disease diagnosis
  Policy and strategy
  How we will improve the use and availability of imaging services to investigate diseases.
• All Wales research and development delivery funding model: integrated impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  We assessed how this funding model would impact on a number of areas.
• A healthier Wales: equality impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  An assessment of how our long term plan for health and social care will affect equality of opportunity.
• A healthier Wales: children's rights impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  An assessment of how our long term plan for health and social care will affect children's rights.
• Impact assessment: Health and social care COVID-19 looking forward
  Impact assessment
  Assessing the impact of improving health and social care on equality of opportunity.
• Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018: summary integrated impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  A summary of how minimum unit pricing of alcohol will affect a number of areas.
• Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018: health impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  An assessment of how people’s health may be affected by the Act.
• Transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists: integrated impact assessment
  Impact assessment
  We assessed how our programme for transforming planned care affects several areas.
• Transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists: children's rights assessment
  Impact assessment
  We assessed how our programme for transforming planned care in Wales affects children's rights.
• Health protection Part 2A orders 2010 to 2022
  Report
  A summary report on orders requested by local authorities to protect public health.
• Directions to Local Health Boards and NHS Trusts in Wales (2009 No.10)
  Legislation
  The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 & the Directions to local health boards and NHS trusts in Wales 2009.
• National Survey for Wales: NHS and social care
  Collection
  Information about health and social care services.
• Supporting our ageing society
  Collection
  What we will do to use the potential of today's older people and support our ageing society.
• Report of the Independent Review of the Health Protection System in Wales
  Report
  This independent report assesses the strengths of our public health protection system in Wales.
• National Survey for Wales: population health
  Collection
  Information on people's health status, illnesses, and health-related lifestyles.
• Independent Review of the Health Protection System in Wales: implementation plan
  Report
  Identifies the actions required to address the review's recommendations.
• All-Wales Menopause Task and Finish Group, Final Report, January 2023
  Report
  Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board , Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Powys Teaching Health Board, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Welsh Medical Committee
  The final report and recommendations from the All-Wales Menopause Task and Finish Group.
• An integrated impact assessment to support Llais's work
  Impact assessment
  Citizen Voice Body for Health and Social Care
  How the code of practice, guidance on representations, and NHS service change guidance affect children’s rights.
• Social care approach to respiratory viruses, spring/summer 2023
  Policy and strategy
  Public Health Wales
  This guidance covers testing for respiratory infections including COVID-19, as well as PPE to visiting.
• Diagnostics recovery and transformation strategy for Wales 2023 to 2025
  Policy and strategy
  How we will use diagnostics to support the recovery of NHS services and prepare for the future.
• The role of outpatients in transforming planned care in Wales
  Policy and strategy
  A three-year strategy and action plan 2023 to 2026: August 2023.
• Promote, prevent and prepare for planned care
  Policy and strategy
  Empowering people waiting for treatment to optimise their health and well-being.
• Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing meeting minutes: 5 May 2020
  Meeting
  Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing
  Minutes from the Ministerial Advisory Forum on Ageing meeting held on 05 May 2020.
• Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018: children's rights impact assessments
  Impact assessment
  An assessment of how minimum alcohol pricing will affect children's rights