The new Welsh Government has made its first financial commitment to the NHS since taking office. The Plaid Cymru administration has announced how it will spend £145 million of additional funding available within this financial year on health services.
Supplementary Budget Details
On Tuesday, June 23, the supplementary budget will be published. This is money available to the Welsh Government for this financial year that was not available when the main budget was finalised and voted on by the Senedd. Plaid Cymru says it will use the money to set out its early spending priorities in government. An earlier announcement about childcare also forms part of these funds, with more detail expected next week.
Health Spending Breakdown
The Welsh Government has allocated £100 million to reducing NHS waiting times. Additionally, £25 million in capital funding will be invested in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, which are expected to deliver high-volume treatment to ensure patients are seen more quickly. This fulfills a Plaid Cymru manifesto pledge to 'deliver 10 new surgical hubs.' The manifesto stated: 'We will create 10 new surgical hubs to speed up treatment times for procedures like hip and knee replacements, hernia operations and cataract removals – developing these into new centres of excellence for specialisms like orthopaedics and ophthalmology.'
The government’s press release says: 'The Welsh Government plans to develop up to ten surgical and diagnostic hubs over the next four years.' A further £20 million in capital funding will be spent on essential maintenance across the NHS estate.
Government Statements
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said: 'This additional funding sends a clear signal that tackling waiting lists is an urgent and immediate priority for this new Welsh Government. But we are not content to just bring down waiting times in the short term – we want to keep them down, so that patients don’t have to wait in pain or discomfort. By investing in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, which will transform specialist treatments, we are putting the infrastructure in place so that our NHS is fit to treat more patients now and into the future.'
Upcoming Summits
Two events are being held on Thursday, June 18. A 'graduate summit' will review employment opportunities for this summer's nursing, midwifery, and paramedic graduates. A 'primary care summit' will bring health leaders together to focus on increasing health board spending on primary care by 0.5% each year from 2027-28, a key commitment of the new Welsh Government.
Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said: 'Today’s summits show we are acting now to make rapid progress towards our ambitions of transforming healthcare in Wales, fulfilling our 100-day commitment to develop a sustainable shift towards primary care, bringing NHS services closer to where people live. Through our graduate summit, we are acting now to make sure this summer's nursing, paramedic and midwifery graduates are rewarded by having the career opportunities they've worked so hard for.'
