Healthcare in Wales

Last updated

Map of the seven local health boards; Betsi Cadwaladr (north), Hywel Dda (west), Powys (mid), Swansea Bay (south-west), Cwm Taf (south-central), Aneurin Bevan (south-east), Cardiff and Vale (southernmost). Wales Health Boards Map.svg
Map of the seven local health boards; Betsi Cadwaladr (north), Hywel Dda (west), Powys (mid), Swansea Bay (south-west), Cwm Taf (south-central), Aneurin Bevan (south-east), Cardiff and Vale (southernmost).

Healthcare in Wales is mainly provided by the Welsh public health service, NHS Wales. NHS Wales provides healthcare to all permanent residents that is free at the point of need and paid for from general taxation. Health is a matter that is devolved, and considerable differences are now developing between the public healthcare systems in the different countries of the United Kingdom, collectively the National Health Service (NHS). [1] Though the public system dominates healthcare provision, private health care and a wide variety of alternative and complementary treatments are available for those willing to pay. [2] [3]

Contents

The largest hospital in the country is usually the University Hospital of Wales hospital, however the temporary Dragon's Heart Hospital set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales was larger, and is the second largest hospital in the United Kingdom. [4]

Unlike in England, NHS prescriptions are free to everyone registered with a GP in Wales (although those on low incomes, under 18, and under 60 do get prescriptions for free in England). [5]

Initially administered by the UK Government, since 1999 NHS Wales has been funded and managed by the Welsh Government. [6]

NHS trusts and health boards

Before 2009, Wales was divided into 10 NHS trusts: [7]

Current healthboards

Wales is now divided into 7 local health boards and 3 NHS trusts: [8]

Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust manages all ambulance services in Wales from its base in Denbighshire.

Primary Care

Out-of-hours services in north and west Wales were reported to have reached ‘crisis point’ in April 2019. Services at Withybush General Hospital in Pembrokeshire and Prince Philip Hospital in Carmarthenshire had to close for the weekend of 30/31 March. [9] During 2018 there were at least 146 urgent care shifts in Wales which did not have a single GP on the out-of-hours service. [10]

Pharmacies

There are plans to enhance the role of community pharmacists in Wales. The plans commissioned by the Welsh government and drawn up by the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee envisage pharmacy independent prescribers in every community pharmacy integrated with GP practices for access to patient records. This will enable the common ailment service, which enables pharmacists to treat 26 common illnesses, such as dry eye, indigestion and cold sores, to be extended and the pharmacists will be able to refer patients for tests. [11] 702 pharmacies in Wales provided a total 43,158 consultations common ailment service consultations in 2018/2019, more than double the number in the previous year. In May 2019 97% of pharmacies in the country were offering the service. [12]

A pilot ‘test and treat’ service for sore throat began in 70 community pharmacies in the Cwm Taf and Betsi Cadwaladr local health board areas in November 2018. The pharmacists do a swab test to find out if the sore throat was caused by a viral or a bacterial infection. Only 20% of cases required a prescription of antibiotics. [13]

Community Services

In April 2019 Vaughan Gething announced an £11 million fund to transform health and social care services in North Wales. Mental health practitioners will work with ambulance crews and in police control rooms and crisis cafes, safe havens and strengthened home treatment services will be developed. Early intervention services for children and old people will be strengthened. [14]

Care and health statistics

Wait Times

Healthcare wait times for patients in Wales are longer than wait times for their English counterparts. Specifically, an analysis by a UK based independent health think tank Nuffield Trust, found that "Patients in Wales have been more likely than their Scottish or English counterparts to wait four hours in every single month since 2012 [to 2021]" [15] However, they also note that "they fared better than those who turned to the struggling Northern Irish health care system."

Two potential causes for longer wait times in Wales follow:

Quality of Care

Among patients who get care in the Wales healthcare system, satisfaction is reasonably high.

General Health

Obesity continues to plague the people of Wales. "The percentage of adults who are overweight or obese continues to rise, reaching 62% in 2021/22. Rates are highest among men and those living in more deprived areas." [16] [17]

Coronavirus outbreak

The Welsh healthcare system has been particularly impacted by the outbreak of Coronavirus in early 2020. This has been exacerbated by the fact the Welsh population is, according to Nuffield Trust research, on average "older, sicker and more deprived than the English population – so its NHS has to work harder". [18]

The Welsh Government made specific changes to healthcare in Wales to deal with the outbreak, including cancelling elective operations, [19] building the UK's second largest hospital at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, and approving the "COVID emergency ventilator", a device designed by a medical consultant based in Ammanford. [20] Nonetheless, Wales in late March had the largest local outbreak in the UK, centred around the Aneurin Bevan Health Board in Newport which saw a higher number of cases per 1,000 people than any other city including London. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General practice</span> Patient-based medical care provided across age, gender and specialty boundaries

General practice is personal, family, and community-orientated comprehensive primary care that includes diagnosis, continues over time and is anticipatory as well as responsive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHS Digital</span> Former UK government agency

NHS Digital was the trading name of the Health and Social Care Information Centre, which was the national provider of information, data and IT systems for commissioners, analysts and clinicians in health and social care in England, particularly those involved with the National Health Service of England. The organisation was an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care.

The NHS Electronic Prescription Service is part of the NHS National Programme for IT of the National Health Service in England. It enables the electronic transfer of medical prescriptions from doctors to pharmacies and other dispensers and electronic notification to the reimbursement agency, NHS Prescription Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh Ambulance Service</span> NHS trust and ambulance service in Wales

The Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust is the national ambulance service for Wales. It was established on 1 April 1998 and as of December 2018 has 3,400 staff providing ambulance and related services to the 3 million residents of Wales. As of 1 April 2024, the trust was awarded "university" status by the Welsh government, making it the second ambulance trust to achieve university status in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHS Wales</span> Publicly-funded healthcare system in Wales

NHS Wales is the publicly-funded healthcare system in Wales, and one of the four systems which make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NHS Scotland</span> Publicly-funded healthcare system in Scotland

NHS Scotland, sometimes styled NHSScotland, is the publicly–funded healthcare system in Scotland and one of the four systems that make up the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. It operates 14 territorial NHS boards across Scotland, supported by seven special non-geographic health boards, and Public Health Scotland.

Health and Social Care is the publicly funded healthcare system in Northern Ireland. Although having been created separately to the National Health Service (NHS), it is nonetheless considered a part of the overall national health service in the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland Executive through its Department of Health is responsible for its funding, while the Public Health Agency is the executive agency responsible for the provision of public health and social care services across Northern Ireland. It is free of charge to all citizens of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff and Vale University Health Board</span> NHS local health board in South East Wales

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is the local health board of NHS Wales for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan, in the south-east of Wales. Formed on 1 October 2009 through the amalgamation of three NHS organisations in the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan area. The three organisations amalgamated were: Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, employing 12,000 staff and previously responsibility for hospital services in the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan area; Cardiff Local Health Board; and Vale of Glamorgan Local Health Board both responsible for GP, Dental, Optical and pharmacy services. The headquarters of the Board is in the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is the operational name of Cardiff and Vale Local Health Board.

A Welsh Government sponsored body (WGSB) is a non-departmental public body directly funded by the Welsh Government. Under the Government of Wales Act 1998 the bodies were sponsored by the National Assembly for Wales and were known as an Assembly sponsored public body, and this was changed by the Schedule 3 of the Wales Act 2017 which amended the Government of Wales Act 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healthcare in the United Kingdom</span>

Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, with England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each having their own systems of publicly funded healthcare, funded by and accountable to separate governments and parliaments, together with smaller private sector and voluntary provision. As a result of each country having different policies and priorities, a variety of differences have developed between these systems since devolution.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is recognised by the UK Secretary of State for Health as representative of community pharmacy on National Health Service matters. The PSNC's main objective is to secure the best possible remuneration, terms and conditions for NHS pharmacy contractors in England. Much of the PSNC’s work involves discussions and negotiations with the Department of Health. Community Pharmacy Wales is a related organisation. Most of the English national pharmacy contract negotiated by PSNC has been adopted by the Welsh Assembly Government, but Community Pharmacy Wales has negotiated some local variation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Glamorgan Hospital</span> Hospital in Wales

The Royal Glamorgan Hospital, is a District General Hospital in Ynysmaerdy, Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It is managed by the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, and is part of the NHS Wales public healthcare system.

Healthcare in England is mainly provided by the National Health Service (NHS), a public body that provides healthcare to all permanent residents in England, that is free at the point of use. The body is one of four forming the UK National Health Service as health is a devolved matter; there are differences with the provisions for healthcare elsewhere in the United Kingdom, and in England it is overseen by NHS England. Though the public system dominates healthcare provision in England, private health care and a wide variety of alternative and complementary treatments are available for those willing and able to pay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swansea Bay University Health Board</span> NHS local health board in South West Wales

Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB) is the local health board of NHS Wales for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, in the south-west of Wales. Established as Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMUHB) in 2009, it was renamed and had its boundaries altered on 1 April 2019. In February 2019 it was decided to rename it Swansea Bay University Health Board and to alter the boundary with the Cwm Taf University Health Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board</span> NHS local health board in South Wales

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) is the local health board of NHS Wales for Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Bridgend in the south of Wales. It was renamed from Cwm Taf University Health Board on 1 April 2019 following the transfer of Bridgend County Borough from the former Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local health board</span> NHS Wales administrative unit

A local health board is an administrative unit of NHS Wales, established in 2003. Following a reorganisation in 2009, there are currently seven local health boards in Wales. Local health boards may use an operational name of either University Health Board or Teaching Health Board in their names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raj K. Aggarwal</span> Anglo-Indian businessman

Raj Kumar Aggarwal is a Welsh-Indian pharmacist, public health expert, businessman and the first ever Honorary Consul for India with jurisdiction for Wales. In this role, he is responsible for helping to further links between Welsh and Indian business, educational establishments and cultural organisations, as well as looking after the needs of Indian nationals living and working in Wales. In March 2015, he was appointed president of the Consular Association of Wales.

EMIS Health, formerly known as Egton Medical Information Systems, supplies electronic patient record systems and software used in primary care, acute care and community pharmacy in the United Kingdom. The company is based in Leeds. It claims that more than half of GP practices across the UK use EMIS Health software and holds number one or two market positions in its main markets. In June 2022 the company was acquired by Bordeaux UK Holdings II Limited, an affiliate of UnitedHealth's Optum business for a 49% premium on EMIS's closing share price.

Pharmacy in the United Kingdom has been an integral part of the National Health Service since it was established in 1948. Unlike the rest of the NHS, pharmacies are largely privately provided apart from those in hospitals, and even these are now often privately run.

Healthcare in Hampshire was the responsibility of six clinical commissioning groups until July 2022. These were based in Southampton, Portsmouth, North East Hampshire and Farnham, South Eastern Hampshire, West Hampshire, and North Hampshire. In 2018, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership of Clinical Commissioning Groups was set up. Maggie MacIsaac was Chief Executive.

References

  1. NHS now four different systems BBC 2 January 2008
  2. Peregrine, Chris (29 January 2019). "Here is why people choose private health care for life-changing operations". walesonline. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  3. "Health centres in Wales | Find a health centre | Bupa UK". www.bupa.co.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  4. CVUHB, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board- (20 January 2017). "NHS Wales | Staff at Wales' biggest hospital reveal how flu is impacting wards". www.wales.nhs.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  5. "Free prescriptions". GOV.WALES. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. "One NHS, or Many? The National Health Service under Devolution | The Political Studies Association (PSA)". One NHS, or Many? The National Health Service under Devolution | The Political Studies Association (PSA). Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  7. SmartHealthcare.com (2 October 2009). "Wales merges health trusts into boards". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  8. Health in Wales: Structure NHS Wales. Retrieved 10 October 2019
  9. "Wales out-of-hours services at 'crisis point' as providers unable to cover weekends". Pulse. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  10. "GP crisis left a million patients without doctor on call over weekends and evenings in 2018" . Independent. 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  11. "All community pharmacies in Wales to have an independent prescriber as part of long-term plan for Welsh pharmacy". Pharmaceutical Journal. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  12. "Number of common ailments consultations per pharmacy nearly doubles in 2018/2019". Pharmaceutical Journal. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. "Pharmacy sore throat test-and-treat service prescribes antibiotics in only a fifth of cases". Pharmaceutical Journal. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  14. "£11 million in funding announced to bring social care 'closer to home'". Homecare Insight. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 "How well is the NHS in Wales performing?". Nuffield Trust. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 "Health outcomes and experience in the healthcare system – Welsh Government assessment | Human Rights Tracker". humanrightstracker.com. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 "Adult general health and illness (National survey for Wales): April 2021 to March 2022 | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  18. "Fact or Fiction? The Welsh NHS performs poorly compared to the English NHS". 16 January 2017.
  19. "Coronavirus: Planned surgery cancelled in Wales". BBC News. 14 March 2020.
  20. "Welsh doctor designs ventilator that could save thousands with coronavirus". 24 March 2020.
  21. "The locations of all Covid-19 cases in Wales as one area has most in UK". 6 April 2020.