Strengthening the role of GPs in Wales is crucial for enhancing patient healthcare and addressing NHS waiting lists, according to Health Secretary Jeremy Miles.
Speaking at the Welsh Local Medical Committees Conference on Saturday, 8 March, Miles emphasised the need to transform health service delivery to keep care closer to home.
GPs will take on a more prominent role in managing waiting lists, aiming to reduce delays and improve patient flow through the health system. This includes expanding diagnostic testing within communities to provide quicker and more accessible care.
Jeremy Miles, Welsh Health Secretary, said:
“It is vital we work together to address the pressures in our NHS by improving access patients have to the care they need, and the flow through our system.
“The role of GPs is fundamental to being able to bring the system back into balance.
“This is not about general medical services doing more and more but about designing a way of commissioning more services in a primary setting, in local communities but at a scale which is viable and sustainable.
“GPs play a crucial role in their communities. I want to work with them to develop a primary and community care offer that values the skills and expertise of general practice and gives GPs the tools to thrive and delivers the care patients need closer to home.”
A new initiative will focus on supporting GPs in providing continuity of care, starting with identifying the most vulnerable patients who would benefit from seeing the same health professional at each appointment. This approach is expected to improve outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions and help maintain their well-being at home.
Miles acknowledged that as more diagnostic and other procedures shift from hospitals to community settings, resources must follow. Health boards will be required to declare and increase primary care spending to support this transition, ensuring that community-based services are adequately funded.
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