Welsh Government advises less reliance on hospitals

The Welsh Government has said that patients need to seek more care in their communities or at home, and that hospital visits should be only when ‘essential’.

As part of a new strategy to reduce pressure on the NHS, Health and Social Services Secretary Vaughan Gething has outlined major changes to the way NHS and social care is organised in the future. Within A Healthier Wales, Gething sats that the intention is to create even better care locally, with support and treatment available across a range of community-based services, meaning that when hospital based care is needed it can be accessed more quickly.

A £100 million Transformation Fund has been made available to support the implementation of the plan, targeting resources to speed up the process, including the development of new integrated prevention services and activities in the community.

There will also be more focus on seamless services, which are designed to fit around the individual. Information will be shared between services and providers, allowing a smoother patient experience. This will also allow those with the greatest need to be treated first and make the most effective use of resources.

Gething said: ““This year we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the NHS, which was born here in Wales. We remain hugely proud of its achievements and all who work within it. However, it is clear that much has changed in those 70 years. With an increase in life expectancy and our continued public health challenges the service is facing increasing pressure.

“This plan sets out our vision for the future – it looks at how we will adapt to meet these future challenges and transform the way we deliver health and social care. We will deliver that change and remain true to the core values of the NHS to provide free healthcare for all.”