Health

Mental health crisis response plan welcomed — but families say detentions will continue

Published

8 months ago

April 30, 2025

Protests at the Senedd as campaigners accuse Welsh Government of failing autistic and learning-disabled people

A MAJOR new mental health strategy promising same-day support in Wales has been overshadowed by rising anger from families who say vulnerable people are still being detained in hospitals simply because of their disabilities or autism.

Police at the A&E department at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth in early April 2025: The vehicles contain patients having a mental heath crisis , and awaiting help. One patient was detained for 19 hours in a police van. (Image: Herald)

The Welsh Government says its ten-year plan will transform mental health support by focusing on early help, social prescribing, and same-day access via GPs and community services. The NHS’s urgent 111 helpline—where callers can “press 2” for mental health support—is now receiving nearly 6,000 calls a month.

***Protest outside the Senedd last year (Pic: Natasha Hirst)***

But critics say that behind the numbers lies a more troubling story—one of systemic failure for people with learning disabilities and autism.

On Wednesday, April 17, protesters from the Stolen Lives campaign gathered outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay to accuse ministers of inaction. The campaign was founded by Dr. Dawn Cavanagh, from Hook, Pembrokeshire, whose own son is detained in a secure mental health hospital.

“We are talking about people being imprisoned without committing any crime,” said Dr. Cavanagh. “Their only crime is being disabled. It has traumatised us as a family.”

***People needing mental health support are often criminalised, and reform in needed, campaigners say (Pic: Herald/File)***

The protest brought together families, carers, disability rights groups and allies. Holding placards and banners, they demanded urgent reform and meaningful investment in community care to prevent people being “shut away” in hospitals for years at a time.

Many of those detained are sent far from their families, often to private facilities in England, due to a lack of appropriate housing and support in Wales.

“We’ve had endless promises, meetings, reports—but nothing changes,” said one protester. “We are tired of being told our case is unique. We’re not. This is a national scandal.”

Sophie Hinksman, 39, from Pembrokeshire, was sectioned in 2016 and says she still lives with the trauma.

“If I’d got the right support at home, everything would have been okay,” she said. “Instead I was taken away and left to deteriorate. I’m still trying to come back from that.”

The UK Government’s new Mental Health Bill—adopted in part by the Welsh Government—claims it will limit the ability to detain autistic and learning-disabled people under the Mental Health Act unless they have a co-occurring mental illness. But campaigners say this won’t stop detentions unless proper alternatives are funded.

“If community care isn’t there, they’ll still be detained—just under different legislation like the Mental Capacity Act,” said Dr. Cavanagh.

Data published by the Welsh Government shows 135 people with a learning disability are currently in specialist inpatient services in Wales. In England, over 2,000 people with learning disabilities or autism are detained, and around half have been held for more than two years.

Campaigners say many of those individuals were initially admitted due to crises brought on by poor housing, isolation, or lack of support staff. Once inside, people deteriorate further, delaying discharge indefinitely.

***A protest took place in Westminster on Tuesday (Image: BBC)***

‘Hospitals are not homes’

Joe Powell, Chief Executive of All Wales People First, told the crowd at the Senedd: “Wales led the way 41 years ago with the All Wales Strategy. It said hospitals are not homes and people should live in the community. Now we are going backwards.”

Despite claims of progress, families say that local Health Boards and councils face little accountability when placements fail.

The Welsh Government insists it is committed to reducing inpatient numbers and improving care. A spokesperson said: “We do not agree that people with learning disabilities are being systematically detained inappropriately. Where hospital care is used, a care plan must be in place and reviewed regularly.”

But campaigners are not reassured.

“It’s like the Post Office scandal,” said one mother at the protest. “They told each family their situation was unique—but the problem was the system all along.”

There is hope — but no time to waste

Elsewhere in Wales, community-based support is making a difference—when it’s available.

Sian McEvoy, 41, from Swansea, began volunteering at a local community farm after a long period of alcohol dependency and anxiety.

“When I was drinking, I didn’t leave the house for three years,” she said. “Now I’m out in the community, working with animals. It’s helped my mental health and given me the confidence to think about getting back into work.”

Steffan Thomas, 24, who is autistic, has volunteered at the same farm for four years.

“If I miss a week, I feel it,” he said. “This place keeps me grounded.”

Health experts say these are the kinds of solutions that need long-term investment—not short-term pilots.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, a Bevan Commission member, said: “Social prescribing and early intervention can prevent crisis—but only if the infrastructure is there. Without it, the NHS will be overwhelmed, and vulnerable people will fall through the cracks.”

As protesters packed up their banners outside the Senedd, Dr. Cavanagh said: “We don’t want more empty promises. We want people to come home.”

Responding to the Welsh Government’s plan, Welsh NHS Confederation Nesta Lloyd-Jones said: “We welcome the shift in approach set out in the new Welsh Government’s 10 year mental health and wellbeing strategy, which is centred on early intervention, prevention and person-centred care.

“As the strategy acknowledges, the building blocks of mental wellbeing start long before healthcare intervention – whether that’s education, housing, employment, access to green spaces and leisure, the arts and so on. Building more resilient communities, addressing health inequalities and tackling loneliness are essential to this too. The Welsh Government’s promise to prioritise action on mental health across all Welsh Government departments is a positive start on the journey to a cross-government approach to mental health, including the deployment of Health Impact Assessments.

“However, in these continuously financially challenging times, these sectors and services are among the first to be cut. We must think long-term and invest in these areas to make things better for individuals, healthcare services and the public purse.

“We know timely access to services play an important role in patient outcomes. NHS leaders support the concept of the no wrong door approach and the introduction of 111 press 2 is a good example of simplifying access for those reaching out for help.

“We know that societal inequalities put some groups at greater risk, underscoring the importance of providing these individuals with better resources and tackling barriers to accessing care. However, with rising demand for mental health services and the growing impact of climate change on mental wellbeing, a greater emphasis on primary, secondary and tertiary prevention is needed.

“Now this strategy has been published, the Welsh Government must ensure the resource and support is in place for sectors and organisations to deliver on the vision statements.”

Jemma Wray, Head of Wales at the Mental Health Foundation said: “We strongly welcome and support the new 10 year mental health strategy for Wales, and its vision to transform how the people of Wales are enabled and supported to live mentally healthy lives.

The strategy is grounded in an understanding that poor mental health can be prevented through ensuring that the building blocks of good mental health are in place, and that there is a system of connected community support available which enables people to connect with what they need, when they need it.

The delivery of this plan at a community level, ensuring the right infrastructure exists to support its implementation, will be vital in its success. It’s equally important that the Welsh Government continues to work alongside people with lived experience and that their improved outcomes are the measure of its impact.

We’re pleased to have been able to contribute to the development of this strategy during the consultation period, and look forward to supporting its implementation in collaboration with Welsh Government, NHS Executive, Public Health Wales, and the Wales Alliance for Mental Health among others to help improve the outcomes for those who are most at risk of developing poor mental health in Wales.”

Welsh Government says ‘a major shift’ is under way

The Welsh Government insists its new 10-year strategy marks a turning point for mental health care in Wales.

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy said: “This strategy represents a major shift in how we approach mental health and wellbeing. We are focusing on prevention, early intervention, and ensuring easy access to support when needed.”

The new strategy aims to expand open access and same-day support, building on the 111 “press 2” helpline and introducing a stepped care model, where people only move into more intensive treatment when truly necessary.

It also promotes person-centred care and social prescribing, such as linking people with community groups and activities instead of relying solely on clinical interventions.

“We’re working to address all the factors that affect wellbeing – from housing and employment to tackling loneliness,” Murphy added.

Initiatives already supported under the scheme include Walking Friends Wales, which helps older people reduce loneliness through group walks and social connection.

Campaigners, however, say that while the vision is welcome, the success of the strategy depends entirely on whether these services are funded and delivered at scale, and whether urgent cases of inappropriate detention are properly addressed.

As Dr. Cavanagh said at the Senedd protest:

“We don’t want more empty promises. We want people to come home.”

Health

Nearly 2,000 residents help shape future of health services across west Wales

Published

7 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Public feedback to inform Hywel Dda’s long-term strategy for healthcare delivery

NEARLY 2,000 people across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire have shared their views on what matters most for living a healthy life, as part of a major public engagement exercise by Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Over a nine-week period, residents were invited to respond to eleven key questions exploring how people stay well, how they access healthcare, and what improvements they would like to see in services, buildings and digital provision. The questions were shaped around feedback gathered from community members earlier in the summer.

The engagement focused on four main themes: a social model for health and wellbeing, digital healthcare support, balancing hospital care with community-based services, and priorities for clinical services and hospital redevelopment.

The feedback will be shared in January and used to inform a refreshed long-term strategy for the Health Board, setting out how safe, sustainable and accessible services will be delivered over the next fifteen years. While the strategy will be updated to reflect changes in clinical practice, technology and how people use health services, the Health Board says its overall ambitions remain unchanged from those set out in the original Healthier Mid and West Wales strategy in 2018.

Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategy and Planning at Hywel Dda, said the process was about refinement rather than a change in direction.

He said: “Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their views. The direction of travel remains as per our 2018 strategy, so we want to reassure people that this is not a radical change of direction but rather a refinement in how we deliver the strategy. Your feedback is helping us reshape our strategy so that it continues to reflect the priorities of the people we serve, and the changes in clinical practice.”

During the engagement, many respondents highlighted the importance of strong communities, with families, friends and local support networks seen as key to helping people stay well and connected. Timely access to GP services was also raised as a priority, alongside concerns about travel to appointments, particularly in rural areas where public transport options can be limited.

Digital healthcare was another recurring theme, with people calling for online services to be simple, inclusive and accessible, while recognising that not everyone has access to technology or the same digital skills.

At its public Board meeting in November, Hywel Dda University Health Board considered progress on refreshing the strategy and received updates on the development of a new Primary and Community Care Strategic Plan. That plan, which has been shaped through further public engagement including in-person and online events and an online questionnaire, is due to be presented to the Board in January 2026.

The Primary and Community Care plan will set the overall direction for services delivered outside hospital settings and support locally-led plans for how care is provided in individual communities.

The Board also discussed a request from the Welsh Government for an addendum to the Health Board’s 2022 Programme Business Case. This will explore additional options for improving healthcare estates, including whether new facilities could help address existing infrastructure problems. It will also consider how local plans align with the national strategy, A Healthier Wales, which aims to shift more care into community settings and closer to people’s homes.

A draft version of the refreshed strategy is expected to be presented to the Board in January 2026 for approval. Once agreed, it will be published in accessible formats, with the Health Board saying communities will continue to be involved as plans move forward.

Further information about the engagement process and updates on the strategy are available through the Health Board’s public consultation platform.

Health

Resident doctors in Wales vote to accept new contract

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENT doctors across Wales have voted to accept a new contract, with 83% of those who took part in a referendum backing the agreement, according to BMA Cymru Wales.

The contract includes a four per cent additional investment in the resident doctor workforce and introduces a range of reforms aimed at improving training conditions, wellbeing and long-term workforce sustainability within NHS Wales. The BMA says the deal also supports progress towards pay restoration, which remains a central issue for doctors.

Key changes include new safeguards to limit the most fatiguing working patterns, measures intended to address medical unemployment and career progression concerns, and reforms to study budgets and study leave to improve access to training opportunities.

Negotiations between the BMA’s Welsh Resident Doctors Committee, NHS Wales Employers and the Welsh Government concluded earlier this year. Following a consultation period, a referendum of resident doctors and final-year medical students in Wales was held, resulting in a clear majority in favour of the proposals.

Welsh Resident Doctors Committee chair Dr Oba Babs Osibodu said the agreement marked a significant step forward for doctors working in Wales.

He said: “We’re proud to have negotiated this contract, which offers our colleagues and the future generation of doctors safer terms of service, fairer pay, and better prospects so that they can grow and develop their careers in Wales.

“This contract will help to retain the doctors already in training, and also attract more doctors to work in Wales, where they can offer their expertise and benefit patients.”

Dr Osibodu added that the BMA remains committed to achieving full pay restoration and acknowledged that challenges remain for some doctors.

“Whilst this contract sets the foundations for a brighter future for resident doctors in Wales, we recognise that there are still doctors who are struggling to develop their careers and secure permanent work,” he said. “We need to work with the Welsh Government and NHS employers to address training bottlenecks and underemployment.”

The Welsh Government has previously said it recognises the pressures facing resident doctors and the importance of improving recruitment and retention across NHS Wales, while also highlighting the need to balance pay agreements with wider NHS funding pressures and patient demand.

The new contract is expected to be phased in from August 2026. It will initially apply to doctors in foundation programmes, those in specialty training with unbanded rotas, and new starters, before being rolled out to all resident doctors across Wales.

Health

NHS Wales spends more than £15.5m on agency radiographers as pressures grow

Published

1 day ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NHS WALES has spent more than £15.5 million on agency radiography staff over the past five years, as mounting pressure on diagnostic imaging services raises concerns about long-term workforce sustainability.

Figures obtained by the Welsh Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests show that spending on temporary radiographers almost doubled between 2020/21 and 2023/24, despite relatively low headline vacancy rates across Welsh health boards.

Radiographers carry out X-rays, CT, MRI and ultrasound scans, which are essential to emergency care, cancer diagnosis, trauma treatment and elective surgery. Delays or shortages in imaging services can have a knock-on effect across patient pathways, slowing diagnosis and treatment.

The data also highlights an ageing workforce. More than a quarter of radiographers in Wales are aged over 50, with more than one in ten aged 55 or above. In some health boards, a significantly higher proportion of staff are approaching retirement age, raising concerns that experienced radiographers could leave faster than they can be replaced.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board recorded the highest agency spend, at more than £8.1m over the period covered by the FOI requests. Other health boards also reported growing reliance on temporary staff to maintain services, particularly where specialist skills are required.

While official vacancy figures remain comparatively low, professional bodies have previously warned that vacancy data does not always reflect pressure on services, as posts can be held open or covered through overtime and agency staff rather than filled permanently.

Diagnostic imaging demand has increased steadily in recent years, driven by an ageing population, advances in medical imaging technology, and rising referrals linked to cancer and long-term conditions.

Commenting on the findings, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:

“Radiographers are absolutely vital to the NHS. From diagnosing cancer to treating people in A&E, the vast majority of patient journeys depend on timely access to scans.

“These figures show a system increasingly relying on expensive agency staff while failing to plan properly for the future workforce. That is not fair on patients, and it is not fair on staff who are already under huge pressure.

“The Welsh Labour Government must take urgent action to improve recruitment and retention, support experienced staff to stay in the workforce for longer, and ensure NHS Wales has a sustainable radiography workforce fit for the future.”

The Welsh Government has previously said it is working with health boards to improve recruitment and retention across NHS Wales, including expanding training places and supporting flexible working arrangements to help retain experienced staff. Ministers have also pointed to record numbers of staff working in the NHS overall, while acknowledging ongoing challenges in hard-to-recruit specialties.

However, opposition parties and professional bodies continue to warn that without long-term workforce planning, reliance on agency staff could increase further, adding to costs and pressure on already stretched diagnostic services.