June 29, 2026 - 128 views
A new expert, clinically-led group has been established to develop a delivery plan for up to 10 elective care hubs across Wales, in a major move aimed at tackling the NHS waiting list backlog and strengthening planned care services.
The initiative, announced by the Welsh Government, is part of its First 100 days programme and is designed to increase surgical and diagnostic capacity, while protecting scheduled treatment from disruption caused by emergency pressures.
The proposed hubs, which will be rolled out over the course of the current Senedd term, are expected to reduce cancellations, shorten waiting times, and improve patient outcomes by separating planned care from urgent and emergency services within NHS Wales.
An Elective Care Expert Group has been brought together to shape the plans, drawing on senior clinicians and operational leaders from across Wales. The group will be chaired independently by Rhidian Morgan-Jones, a recently retired consultant orthopaedic surgeon and British Orthopaedics Association trustee.
He will be joined by Professor Jon Barry of the Royal College of Surgeons, alongside national clinical and operational leaders including Dr Claire R Dunstan, Sophie O’Donovan, and Corrina Casey.
The group will review evidence from existing elective care hubs in Wales, as well as best practice from across the UK and internationally, before submitting recommendations to the Welsh Health Minister by the end of 2026.
Welsh Cabinet Minister for Health and Care Mabon ap Gwynfor said the programme would be central to reducing waiting times and improving resilience in planned care services, describing the hubs as a “key priority” backed by £145 million of investment.
He added that the approach would ensure planning is led by frontline experts, saying surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists are best placed to design a system that delivers faster, more reliable care for patients across Wales.
