Welsh Government announces £145 million for NHS Wales to cut waiting times
The Welsh Government has announced £145 million in extra funding for NHS Wales this financial year, with reducing waiting times named as the immediate priority.
The money is split three ways: £100 million in day-to-day funding to bring down waiting lists, £25 million for new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20 million for maintenance of NHS buildings across Wales.
For patients in north Wales, including those waiting for treatment through Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, the announcement covers the health board area that has been in special measures since 2015.
The Welsh Government said it plans to build up to ten surgical and diagnostic hubs over the next four years.
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth said the funding “sends a clear signal” that tackling waiting lists is an immediate priority for the new Welsh Government.
He said: “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.”
Cabinet Minister for Health and Care Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said two summits were held on Tuesday alongside the funding announcement: one focused on employment for this summer’s nursing, midwifery and paramedic graduates, and one aimed at increasing health board spending on primary care by 0.5 per cent each year from 2027 to 2028.
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS 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.
“And 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.”
The Welsh NHS Confederation, which represents health boards across Wales, welcomed the funding but said a long-term, whole-system approach was also needed.
Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said: “NHS leaders in Wales welcome this additional funding for the NHS to reduce waiting times and make essential maintenance across the NHS estate.
“We also welcome the Health and Care Minister’s focus on developing a long-term strategy to address waiting times.
“We agree that a long-term solution is required to build sustainable capacity and drive whole-system improvements.
“It is essential that we take a whole-system view of health and care.
“This includes strengthening support for primary and community care, such as through programmes like Community by Design, to move more services closer to people’s homes.
“Alongside improvements in primary care, we must also prioritise the social care sector.”
Hughes also called for a broader approach to how NHS and social care performance is measured, saying that focusing solely on waiting times “does not provide a complete picture.”
The Royal College of Nursing Wales welcomed the investment in hubs and buildings but said it would not be enough without the right workforce in place.
Nicola Williams, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “Investment in surgical and diagnostic hubs, alongside funding for essential maintenance has the potential to significantly improve our populations health, reduce delays, improve experiences and increase NHS capacity.
“However, buildings and equipment alone will not reduce waiting lists.
“Delivering sustainable improvements depends on having the right, appropriately trained and skilled workforce in place and nurses will play a pivotal role in the provision of safe, effective and efficient care to ensure that the surgical and diagnostic hubs fully achieve the ambition.”
Williams raised particular concern about newly qualified nurses struggling to find permanent posts in Wales.
She said: “Nursing staff are telling us consistently and across Wales that, despite there being no vacancies, there is insufficient staff to meet increasing patient complexity and demand and nurses are going without breaks and feel most shifts that they are unable to give the care that patients need.
“It is therefore deeply concerning that newly qualified nurses have faced uncertainty about securing substantive employment.
“Wales cannot afford to lose the talent, skills and commitment of a generation of nursing graduates that our health and care services desperately need.”
The full Supplementary Budget for 2026 to 2027 will be published on 23 June 2026
Check live fuel prices near you before you set off.
Spotted something? Got a story? Email news (@) deeside.com
NEW: Add Deeside.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Latest News
