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Safer care for Wales - a manifesto for change
18 Feb 2026
Did you know?
- Vacancy rates in NHS Wales jumped from 4.5% in March 2023 to 5.2% by March 2025
- 87% of GPs are concerned they are unable to provide quality and safe care to patients
- Wales has a lower average life expectancy rate for men and women compared to England
There has been positive action within Wales with the introduction of the UK allied health professions strategic framework and the Innovation Delivery Plan. However, the next Welsh government will continue to face major challenges improving health and social care services including funding, workforce shortages and educing waiting lists.
In our manifesto, we set out our recommendations to the next Welsh government to help them tackle some of the big challenges within health and social care across Wales. We also outline how professional regulation can help to make care safer and call for government to support regulators to allow them to do more to help.
Priorities for the next Welsh Government
Tackle the health and care workforce crisis
What can the next Welsh Government do?
- Develop a robust regulatory strategy to guide decisions on oversight for health professionals – one that supports the successful delivery of Wales’ workforce plan and proactively manages risks arising from workforce changes.
- Push for a level playing field for the PSA Accredited Registers Programme – ensuring an equivalent legislative and policy framework to help actively manage risk, including considering mandating registration for critical areas like mental health and healthcare science.
- Continue momentum on addressing inequalities – we welcome work to develop a new Workforce Race Equality Standard as part of the Wales Government’s Anti-racist Action Plan.
Close the safety gaps
What can the next Welsh Government do?
- Put safety first – extend the local authority licensing scheme for special procedures to include non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
- Learn from past mistakes – create a unified process and accountability mechanism so that learnings from every major review in Wales and across the UK leads to real, measurable change.
Support regulation to improve workplace culture and enable a preventative approach
What can the next Welsh Government do?
- Accelerate modernisation – fast track the four-country reform programme to overhaul healthcare professional regulation to allow regulators to support ambitious prevention goals.
- Demand accountability and consistency – review accountability and regulatory arrangements for senior leaders and managers and aim for consistent standards across the UK.
- Joined-up accountability – support strategic reflection on the right balance between employer and regulator remits and responsibilities.