Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales - Chapter 1: Building a health and care service fit for the future, and cutting waiting lists

“ In the first 100 days we have begun the shift of resources to primary care services, and to embedding a cross‑government approach to prevention.”

A healthy population is the basis for a thriving nation and this government takes seriously the need to rebalance resources towards the prevention of ill health, better access to services and much improved social care. For too long, people in Wales have spent too much time in ill health and services increasingly struggle to keep up with 21st century health conditions and social care demands.

A different future is possible; where preventing ill health is given the same priority as treating illness, where services are designed around people and communities, and where every part of government works together to improve health and wellbeing.

In the first 100 days we have begun the shift of resources to primary care services, and to embedding a cross‑government approach to prevention. This will help keep people healthier for longer, reducing future demand on health and care services through co‑ordinated actions across all ministerial portfolios.

This is a long‑term goal, and whilst we make this generational change, we will continue to treat people when they need it, by developing a health and care service fit for now and responsive to future changes. Underpinning our approach is a commitment to the founding principles of NHS Wales: providing high‑quality healthcare that is free at the point of need, based on clinical need rather than ability to pay, and maintaining universal access to services, including free NHS Wales prescriptions. Services will increasingly be available in English and Welsh on the basis of choice.

Research and development, innovation and continuous improvement will be fundamental to building a health and care system that is both sustainable and fit for the future. By strengthening collaboration between NHS Wales, social care, universities, industry and communities, we will ensure that services and treatments are informed by the best available evidence and rapidly adopt and scale proven innovations. We will create a culture where frontline staff are empowered to be part of research and can evaluate and innovate; helping to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, deliver more sustainable services and drive inward investment and economic prosperity.

Further, by strengthening collaboration across health, social care and community services, we will improve transitions between services, support timely discharge when people are ready to leave hospital, and help people remain independent for longer within their own communities. These actions will improve patient flow across the health and care system, reducing delays and ensuring people receive care in the right setting, ultimately bringing an end to corridor care in Wales.

These principles will continue to guide decisions about service design, delivery and investment across the health and care system.

Reduced waiting times can lead to positive outcomes, such as improved health conditions and easier treatment, improved quality of life, and reduced pain and stress caused by uncertainty.

The impact of waiting lists is not felt evenly across Wales so, by reducing them, we are also tackling inequality. By improving waiting times, we will help people to return to work and activity more quickly, supporting our productivity mission, and reducing the demand for long‑term social care.

We will:

• cut waiting times and improve delivery of planned care by transforming and modernising outpatient services, expanding diagnostic and surgical capacity and establishing up to 10 surgical hubs across Wales.

Everyone in Wales deserves access to high-quality care that is timely, effective and centred around need. We are committed to improving both health outcomes and people’s experiences of care, ensuring services are designed so that people can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time and as close to home as possible. We will work to build on the 'Mwy na Geiriau' action plan – so that health and care services are available through the medium of Welsh, including through digital and telehealth services.

We will continue to champion the rights and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities and neurodivergent people, ensuring they are able to access high‑quality care, support and opportunities to live independent and fulfilling lives. We recognise the challenges associated with waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments and will work with partners to identify improvements.

We will continue work to prioritise the prevention of suicide and provide support for those who self‑harm through strengthened early intervention. We will empower people to listen and understand, ensuring that everyone can access timely support before crisis point. This will ensure people receive the right help at the earliest opportunity supported through protected funding. Alongside this, embedding mental health considerations across government policy, decision‑making and public service delivery will help create a more joined‑up approach to wellbeing. This will improve outcomes and tackle the issues that most impact mental health for those at risk.

Through better use of data, research, innovation and the voices of people with lived experience, we will improve the effectiveness of services, reduce unwarranted variation and create a more connected system that delivers consistently high standards of care across Wales.

We will:

• ensure integrated care is delivered closer to home with prevention at its core, to support earlier diagnosis, reduced admissions and delays in discharge.
• strengthen national clinical pathways for all age groups, with a particular focus on mental health, stroke, diabetes, ophthalmology and cardiovascular care, to ensure safe, equitable and high‑quality care across Wales, embedding patients’ rights and reducing regional variation. The ambition for NHS Wales will be set out through a National Clinical Services Plan.
• deliver a National Cancer Strategy focused on prevention, earlier diagnosis, research and innovation, equitable access to services and more person‑centred cancer care.
• improve health and care outcomes and experiences for women and girls including through a strengthened NHS Wales Women’s Health Plan, ensuring women are heard, listened to and actively involved in shaping the services they use and the decisions that affect their care. We will also continue to deliver improved outcomes for women, families and babies through our broader maternity and neonatal care initiatives.
• improve outcomes for people living with dementia through earlier diagnosis, timely access to assessment and treatment including strengthened support and prevention as well as the publication of a Dementia Strategy.
• work to address the key challenges facing palliative and end of life care.
• improve access to mental health support including same‑day access pathways and strengthen the no wrong door approach.
• embed an outcomes‑focused approach to health and care, using evidence, data and patient experience to shape, deliver and improve services that achieve better health outcomes for the people of Wales.

A sustainable health and care system depends on the people who deliver services and the infrastructure that supports them. Our workforce is our greatest asset, and we will support our health and care professions, equipping them to meet the needs of our population.

People across Wales will benefit from safe, high‑quality, and joined‑up care from teams that are well supported, appropriately skilled and adaptable as needs change.

We will work with health boards to make NHS Wales a place where people can do their best work, where staff have a meaningful voice in improving services and where workforce decisions are based on a clear understanding of patients’ needs, staff experience, quality, affordability and outcomes.

Investment in our workforce, modernisation of our estate, embracing digital transformation and strengthening system‑wide planning will ensure that health and care services remain sustainable, responsive and fit for the future.

We will:

• build a sustainable and skilled workforce through the delivery of a long‑term workforce strategy which increases the number of GPs by up to 100, improving access to out‑of‑hours care, reduces pressure on hospitals and Accident & Emergency departments, and supports flexible working and continued professional development.
• improve access to dental services, including exploring options to establish a new dental school in partnership with Aberystwyth University and Bangor University, and ensuring health boards assess local dentistry needs and take reasonable steps to ensure sufficient dental provision for their populations.
• review and, where necessary, strengthen or change organisational and governance structures to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the system.
• develop a Sustainable Health and Care Facilities programme, prioritising high‑risk maintenance and urgent repairs, modernisation and more efficient utilisation of the estate.
• implement a 10‑year Digital Strategy that promotes innovation and the strategic use of AI and other emerging technologies across NHS Wales, improves health literacy, and strengthens the use of data to enhance patient outcomes, informs decision‑making and delivers more effective services.

The long-standing division between the health and social care systems is inefficient and unsustainable and does not reflect the real needs of people. We will build a stronger social care system that empowers people to live well, maintain their independence and remain connected to their communities. Through a valued and skilled workforce, support for unpaid carers, a focus on prevention, and closer partnership working, we will deliver high-quality, person-centred care and support that is consistent, sustainable and focused on improving outcomes for people across Wales.

More than 300,000 people provide invaluable care and support to family members and friends across Wales, making an extraordinary contribution to society and the economy, saving our public services billions of pounds each year. Their dedication has a profound impact on the health, wellbeing and quality of life of those they care for. As we continue to support unpaid carers to receive the recognition, support and practical help they deserve, the development of a new National Strategy for Unpaid Carers is underway and will help shape future support for carers.

We are committed to creating a Wales where caring is properly recognised and valued, prevention and community support are prioritised, and unpaid carers receive the services and support they need to manage their caring role. We want unpaid carers to be treated with dignity and respect and not be disadvantaged because of the care they provide.

We will:

• move towards a National Care Service by strengthening social care through a National Service Programme ensuring consistent standards, improved data collection and a better supported workforce.
• ensure seamless transitions between health and social care services to deliver more  joined‑up, sustainable and person‑centred care.

Providing children and vulnerable adults with protection throughout their lives is an important responsibility of government and acts as a critical safety net. We will strengthen safeguarding arrangements across Wales so that children and adults at risk receive consistent, effective protection regardless of where they live or  which services they access.

Through the Stronger Safeguarding for a Safer Wales programme, we will strengthen national leadership, oversight and accountability, improve learning and continuous improvement, and support more consistent multi‑agency safeguarding practice. These reforms will help ensure safeguarding arrangements are better equipped to respond to current and emerging risks while keeping the voices and experiences of children and adults at the centre of decision‑making.

We will:

• deliver safeguarding reform that strengthens the protection of children and adults through clearer accountability, stronger leadership and better use of data and intelligence to drive continuous improvement in practice.