Health
Macmillan Calls for Immediate Action on Wales’ Failing Cancer Treatment Times

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPOER has criticized the Welsh Government for its failure to improve cancer treatment waiting times, highlighting a distressing scenario where hundreds of patients are left enduring extensive delays for vital treatments.
According to the latest data, the situation remains dire with no sign of improvement. Glenn Page, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Macmillan, expressed grave concerns over the current state of affairs. “Today’s data shows cancer waiting times in Wales are not improving. Hundreds of people are being left to face agonising long waits for cancer treatment. This can’t go on,” he stated.
The report underscores a healthcare system in crisis, with Welsh healthcare staff striving under relentless pressures. “Welsh healthcare staff are doing the very best they can but are working in a permanent state of crisis. It’s unsustainable,” Page added, marking a year of stagnation since the launch of The Cancer Improvement Plan, which has failed to meet its objectives and targets.
With the appointment of a new First Minister on the horizon, Macmillan is eager to collaborate with the government to prioritise cancer treatment. “We look forward to working with the new First Minister to cement cancer as a priority. If the Welsh Government acts now, we can turn this around and ensure people living with cancer get the treatment they desperately need, now and in the years to come,” Page emphasised.
The latest figures reveal a troubling picture; over 860 cancer patients (45%) in Wales waited more than 62 days to commence treatment after initial suspicions of cancer in January 2024. This further affirms that the national cancer waiting times target has yet again been missed, reflecting the ongoing struggles within NHS cancer services in Wales. Notably, 2023 has been identified as the worst year on record for cancer waiting times in the country.
Performance metrics for specific cancer types are particularly alarming, with only 31% of individuals with gynaecological cancer, 36% with urological cancer, and 33% with lower gastrointestinal cancer starting their treatment within the target time frame in January 2024.
In light of these findings, Macmillan Cancer Support is preparing to release a detailed data analysis, underlining the urgent need for the Welsh Government to address these shortcomings and improve cancer care services for the sake of its citizens.
Health
Ministers at odds with dentists over ‘biggest reforms in decades’

WALES’ health secretary set out plans for the biggest changes to NHS dentistry services in almost two decades despite still being at loggerheads with the profession.
Jeremy Miles said the Welsh Government will launch a consultation on dentistry reforms, which will mark a significant change to the old 2006 contract, by the end of the month.
In a statement on March 18, Mr Miles told the Senedd the new general dental services contract will be implemented rom April 2026.
Describing the reforms as the biggest in nearly 20 years, the health secretary said the central aim will be to make it easier to access NHS dentistry.
But, in an open letter last month, the British Dental Association (BDA) accused the Welsh Government of “spin, half-truths or doublespeak” on the future of dental services.
Mr Miles warned of issues with the current model, which is based on the “treadmill” of units of dental activity, saying substantive contract reform is required.
He said instead of recalling everyone every six months for a routine check-up, the new contract will be based on prevention and needs-based provision of treatment.
Negotiations between ministers, the NHS and the BDA over more than a year to design and develop the new contract ended without full agreement.
Mr Miles told Senedd members: “As is the case in all negotiations, there are aspects that all parties can readily agree on; there are some points that may be more contentious. Not everyone gets everything that they want but it is an improvement for everyone.”
He said key aspects of the reforms include:
- creating a single route of entry for people to access NHS services;
- implementing a ‘fairer, more transparent’ remuneration system;
- disincentivising unnecessary routine examinations;
- adjusting patient charges; and
- making changes to terms and conditions, such as around parental leave.
Urging people to have their say as part of the consultation, which he suggested will open next week, Mr Miles said: “It’s one of the biggest changes, probably the biggest change in dentistry within the NHS in coming up to close to a quarter of a century.”
James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, told the Senedd that 189 NHS dentists, or about 13% of the workforce, have left the service in Wales since 2022.

He said the BDA has warned 2025 could see the largest number of contracts handed back in history, with more dentists reducing NHS commitments due to financial pressures.
Mr Evans compared a 6% contract uplift, which the BDA has described as a real-terms cut following the “flawed” negotiations, with an 11% increase for GPs.
“NHS dentistry is in crisis,” he said. “Patients are paying more while receiving less. Dentists are leaving in record numbers and practices are struggling to stay afloat.”
Mr Miles claimed the reforms have been broadly backed by the profession, with eight in 10 practices taking up the offer of a contract variation since 2022.
He said he was not prepared to wait any longer after talks broke down, taking a unilateral decision earlier this year to implement the 6% increase to contract payments.
Mabon ap Gwynfor raised the BDA’s warning of a dental desert spreading across the country, with a rise in so-called DIY dentistry and an increasingly disaffected workforce.

The Plaid Cymru politician accused the Welsh Government of ploughing ahead on a road to ruin and turning a blind eye to a rapidly unfolding crisis in the sector.
Warning dentists have been kept in the dark since September, Mr ap Gwynfor said: “On the one hand, this government says that it is unlocking hundreds of thousands of extra appointments but the BDA accuses them of cooking the books.”
Health
RCN demands Cardiff University protect nursing education

Don’t scrap top-ranked nursing degree, union urges
RCN WALES has strongly opposed Cardiff University’s proposal to close its School of Nursing, warning of serious consequences for students, staff, and patient care.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) expressed deep concern in its formal response to the university’s internal consultation, criticising the lack of prior engagement before the announcement. The union described the proposal as a threat to nurse academics, student members, and the wider public.
A petition urging the Senedd to intervene and preserve the university’s nursing courses has already gathered over 7,300 signatures from across Wales. The potential closure comes as Wales faces a critical shortage of nurses, with around 2,000 NHS vacancies and an increasing reliance on corridor care, where patients are treated in unsuitable and sometimes unsafe areas. The RCN warns that shutting down the programme would worsen these challenges and put patient safety at risk.
The move would also damage Cardiff’s reputation as a centre of excellence for nursing education. The university has provided nurse training since 1972 and is ranked 1st in Wales, 5th in the UK, and 51st globally for nursing. As a member of the prestigious Russell Group, Cardiff plays a vital role in developing Wales’ healthcare workforce.
Helen Whyley, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “This proposal is profoundly alarming. Either Cardiff University’s leadership does not recognise its proud legacy in nurse education or believes this is a price worth paying.
“How Cardiff University can claim that its nursing programmes are unsustainable when they are funded by the Welsh Government is baffling. The university should immediately withdraw these proposals, commit to no compulsory redundancies, and instead work with key stakeholders, including the RCN, to find a solution that safeguards nursing students, academic staff, and patients.”
She added: “We remain committed to working with Cardiff University to secure the future of nurse education in Wales.”
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Health
Welsh NHS leaders call for long-term strategy to sustain health and social care

NHS leaders in Wales are urging the next Welsh Government to take a long-term approach to ensure the sustainability of health and social care services.
The Welsh NHS Confederation (WNHSC) has outlined key priorities it wants to see included in political party manifestos ahead of the 2026 Senedd election. These include prevention, workforce planning, performance and financial frameworks, social care reform, and investment in infrastructure.
The WNHSC, which represents all NHS organisations in Wales, conducted a survey of 95 NHS leaders to identify the most pressing issues facing the sector. The five key priorities are:
- Delivering a cross-government national strategy to improve health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities.
- Investing in a long-term workforce plan for the NHS and social care, including education and training.
- Publishing a joint health and social care performance and financial framework for seamless care.
- Establishing an independent rapid review to develop a long-term plan for social care sustainability.
- Launching a long-term capital and infrastructure strategy.
NHS leaders warn that health and social care services are under extreme pressure, with high demand and limited resources. The growing elderly population is adding further strain, with the number of people aged 80 and over expected to double between 2000 and 2038. Additionally, the number of people living with four or more long-term conditions is predicted to nearly double by 2035.
Darren Hughes, director of the WNHSC, said: “The needs of the population are evolving. Over the next decade, we need a fundamental shift from a reactive healthcare model—treating illness—to a proactive one that focuses on prevention and early intervention.
“There’s an alarming wave of demographic and health challenges ahead, but we have an opportunity to make significant improvements within the next five to ten years. This requires a whole-system approach, with government, public services, and society working together to drive better health outcomes.”
NHS leaders are calling on the Welsh Government to prioritise investment in community-based services and prevention across all sectors. They argue that sustainable reform will only be possible through collective action and long-term planning.
The WNHSC will be engaging with politicians in the coming months and plans to release a more detailed report outlining the steps needed to secure the future of health and social care in Wales.
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