Welsh NHS Report Urges Urgent Turnaround, Accepts 29 Recommendations

A major report by the Ministerial Advisory Group warns that NHS Wales faces serious challenges, including record waiting lists, poor cancer outcomes, and fragile emergency care, putting patients at increased risk of harm and undermining value for taxpayers. The report, led by Sir David Sloman, calls for urgent improvement through a relentless focus on delivering existing commitments rather than introducing new policies or targets, emphasizing the need for better leadership, greater accountability, and more transparent performance. Health Secretary Jeremy Miles has accepted all 29 recommendations set out in the report and acknowledged the current shortcomings, stating that significant change is needed to meet public expectations and improve outcomes. The report also points to strong foundations such as skilled staff and integrated systems, suggesting that sharing best practices and reducing variation between health boards could drive improvement. While the report is described as 'essentially optimistic,' opposition figures like Plaid Cymru have criticized the Welsh Labour Government for a lack of decisive leadership and slow action. The government maintains that work is already underway on many of the recommendations, but skepticism remains about its ability to deliver the urgent changes required.