Health

‘Political deckchair rearranging at its worst’: Senedd set to dissolve Covid committee

Published

5 months ago

July 18, 2025

A “KANGAROO COURT” on the Covid-19 pandemic will be formally disbanded after members quit, but another Senedd committee will take over rather than a judge-led Wales-specific inquiry.

At least 13,000 people died in Wales during the pandemic but, more than five years later, Senedd scrutiny of the decisions made in Cardiff Bay has stalled – if it ever got going.

Elin Jones, the Senedd’s speaker or Llywydd, announced the end of the “Wales Covid-19 inquiry special purpose committee”, which was set up to look at gaps in the UK inquiry.

In March, Tom Giffard, its co-chair, and his Conservative colleague Sam Rowlands quit the committee after Labour blocked calls for witnesses to swear an oath.

He said he had no confidence in the committee, saying he would no longer associate himself with a process “seemingly designed to protect those it is supposed to hold to account”.

The Welsh Government refused to set up a judge-led Wales-specific inquiry in the wake of the pandemic like in Scotland, where a public inquiry was established to learn lessons.

Ms Jones announced the committee would be dissolved in the autumn after months of wrangling behind closed doors, with the Senedd’s public accounts committee picking up the baton.

In a statement on July 16, she said: “Due to the breakdown of the co-chair model that was adopted, it hasn’t been possible for the committee to proceed with its work.

“It’s been evident through discussions… that a different model will be required to move forward with the committee’s scrutiny of this vital work.”

Mark Isherwood chairs the public accounts committee which will now lead scrutiny of gaps identified by the Covid committee in its report on module one.

The Conservative expressed concerns about the committee’s capacity and the limited time left in this Senedd term, with an election on the horizon in May 2026.

But he said: “We have agreed to take on the task that has been asked of us to ensure that some scrutiny of these important matters is done within this Senedd – rather than none.

“While there is scope within the committee’s work plan to accommodate some work on module one during the autumn term, this work will be limited and the scope of our work will need to be sharp and focused.

“Our work on module two will depend on when the report is published and will naturally be limited in any event, with issues potentially arising for our legacy report.”

He stressed: “We may not be best placed to pursue this work. And we cannot be sure any outcome will be sufficiently comprehensive to satisfactorily address the issues arising from the module one report, rather than through a Wales-specific public inquiry…. However, we will do our best to conduct work as effectively as we can within these constraints.”

Mr Isherwood said the committee will want to take evidence from First Minister Eluned Morgan, given her responsibility for civil contingencies in Wales.

Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “Unfortunately, the main lesson that we’ve learned over the past few years is that the Welsh Government has an ongoing hatred of accountability.”

Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary paid tribute to the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru group for their tireless campaigning on the issue.

Mr ap Gwynfor expressed concerns about the “shambolic” handling of the Covid committee, with months “wasted debating the actual purpose of the special purposes committee”.

He criticised the Tories for “pulling the plug” on a committee they had a hand in setting up, saying: “They’re now proposing to belatedly re-enter the conversation by chairing a separate committee that also doesn’t have any authority to compel oathtaking.”

James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, reiterated his party’s position that a specific Covid inquiry is the only way Wales will get the focus and answers it needs.

His colleague Mr Giffard said resigning from the committee he co-chaired was never his preferred outcome but it was better than the alternative: “Presiding over a kangaroo court that would never have got to the bottom of the issues that the families deserve.”

Julie James, for the Welsh Government, urged Mr Giffard, a public accounts committee member, to reflect on his “disgraceful” depiction of the Covid committee as a kangaroo court.

At the outset, families led by Anna-Louise Marsh-Rees feared the “not-fit-for-any-purpose” committee would be whitewashed by politicians marking their own homework.

Following the latest debate, she said: “It’s clear to everyone there must be a Welsh inquiry into the handling of the pandemic in Wales and the continued failure to hold one is because the current government does not want its actions to be scrutinised.”

Health

Major investment confirmed for GP services in Wales

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Government unveils £41m boost, but practices warn pressures remain acute

MORE than £41m in extra funding will go into general practice in Wales this year following a new agreement between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP leaders. Ministers say the deal provides stability at a time of rising demand — but the settlement comes against a backdrop of sustained pressures, recruitment challenges and concerns over patient access.

The package includes a 4% uplift to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26, in line with independent DDRB pay recommendations, and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent uplift from 2026-27. The Welsh Government says the multi-year commitment will allow practices to plan ahead, modernise systems and strengthen community-based services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the investment showed an “unwavering commitment” to general practice, adding: “The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country. Multi-year funding gives practices the confidence to invest in the transformation primary care needs.”

However, the announcement comes at a time when many Welsh practices continue to report severe workforce pressures, rising demand, and longstanding challenges in recruiting new partners. GP numbers have fallen over the past decade, with some practices handing back contracts or operating list closures because of unsustainable workloads. Patient satisfaction with access has also declined, according to the latest Welsh GP Patient Survey.

What the deal includes

The settlement for 2025-26 comprises £37.9m of new investment and £4m in re-invested capacity funding, with the key elements including:

A 1.77% uplift in expenses, intended to help practices manage inflationary pressures in energy, staffing and running costs.
A recurrent £20m stabilisation fund to support practices facing immediate operational pressures and to prepare for wider reform under the incoming Sustainable Farming Scheme model for health.
An increased partnership premium, aimed at retaining experienced GPs and encouraging new partners into a model that some say has become less attractive due to financial and regulatory risk.
A full review of the GMS allocation formula — the first in more than 20 years — which determines how funding is distributed between practices. Some rural and deprived communities have long argued the current system does not reflect the complexity of local health needs.

Wider context

General practice remains the foundation of the NHS, accounting for around 90% of patient contacts, yet it receives a proportionally small share of the overall health budget compared with hospital services. Both the Welsh NHS Confederation and GPC Wales have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment, primary care risks being unable to meet increasing demand from ageing populations and rising chronic illness.

The Welsh Government’s own “community-by-design” programme relies on shifting more care closer to home, reducing pressure on emergency departments and supporting earlier intervention. For that to be achieved, GP leaders say investment needs to be matched with workforce expansion, improved digital systems, and clear strategies to retain experienced clinicians.

Working groups will now be set up to examine access standards, diabetes prevention and new service models.

Mr Miles said he was pleased that GPs would be “actively contributing to creating innovative care models that enhance access, improve outcomes and deliver care locally.”

GP representatives broadly welcomed the deal but have stressed that it is only one step in addressing the scale of challenge across primary care.

Health

Welsh NHS leaders hail GP contract deal as “vital step” in strengthening primary care

Published

16 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Agreement secures investment, digital upgrades and better patient pathways

WELSH NHS leaders have welcomed the successful conclusion of the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26 — and key elements of 2026-27 — describing it as a “positive example of social partnership” at a pivotal moment for general practice.

The deal, negotiated between Welsh Government, the Welsh NHS Confederation and GP representatives, sets out new investment and commitments for frontline primary care, including accelerated digital transformation through the NHS Wales App and strengthened support for population-level health management.

Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said the agreement comes at a crucial time for GP services across Wales.

He said: “NHS leaders welcome this agreement as a positive example of social partnership in action. We also welcome the commitment to accelerating digital transformation for patients through the NHS Wales App and the measures agreed in the contract to enable enhanced population health management, such as diabetes management.”

Mr Hughes added that GPs and their multidisciplinary teams remain “the front door to the NHS,” and stressed that investment in general practice is essential if Wales is to treat more people closer to home.

“Evidence shows investing in primary and community care reduces demand on hospitals and emergency care and delivers returns of £14 for every £1 invested. To enable this shift ‘upstream’ from hospital-centred care to integrated services in the community, we must develop care pathways and joint performance measures that address the full needs of individuals,” he said.

Background: Why the GP contract matters

General practice forms the foundation of the Welsh NHS, handling millions of patient contacts every year. According to the latest official figures for 2023-24:

Over 29 million calls were received by GP practices
18 million appointments took place
11 million of these were face-to-face
More than 200,000 home visits were carried out
78 million prescriptions were dispensed
Over 14,000 medication reviews took place

Demand has continued to rise while GP numbers have come under sustained pressure, particularly in rural areas such as Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Powys, where recruitment remains a long-running challenge. Practices in West Wales have repeatedly reported difficulties filling vacancies and increasing reliance on multidisciplinary teams, including nurse practitioners, pharmacists and physiotherapists.

The new GMS contract is therefore seen as a key mechanism for stabilising the sector, supporting digital access, improving chronic disease management, and helping to deliver the Welsh Government’s community-by-design programme, which aims to shift care away from hospitals and into community settings.

A recent survey by the Welsh NHS Confederation found that 74 per cent of NHS leaders support moving resources from acute hospital services into primary care, community-based services, mental health and social care, reflecting growing consensus around early intervention and prevention.

What comes next

The Welsh Government is expected to outline further detail in the coming months on how investment will be delivered at practice level, including support for digital tools, workforce development and shared performance measures with health boards.

With winter pressures mounting and hospitals facing record demand, NHS leaders say the success of the new GP contract will be central to improving access, reducing waiting times and ensuring patients in communities such as Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion can receive timely, local care before conditions escalate.

The Welsh NHS Confederation represents all seven local health boards, the three NHS trusts, Health Education and Improvement Wales, and Digital Health and Care Wales.

Charity

Motorcycle fundraisers transform children’s play area at Glangwili Hospital

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Long-running 3 Amigos and Dollies group marks 25 years of support

THANKS to outstanding fundraising by the Pembrokeshire-based 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group, Hywel Dda Health Charities has funded a major improvement of the outdoor play area at Cilgerran children’s ward in Glangwili Hospital — a project costing more than £15,000.

The 3 Amigos and Dollies have supported Hywel Dda University Health Board’s children’s services for twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas toy runs becoming landmark dates in the local calendar, drawing hundreds of bikers and supporters from across west Wales.

The latest funding has delivered a full transformation of the ward’s outdoor space, including a re-sprayed graffiti wall, new toys and play equipment, a summer house, improved storage, and a moveable ramp to make the area more accessible for young patients. Members of the group even volunteered to help paint and refresh the space themselves.

Paula Goode, Service Director for Planned and Specialist Care, said: **“We are so grateful to the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group for their amazing support. Not only have they raised an incredible amount for the ward, but they have given their time to help make the outdoor space as special as possible.

“Outdoor play greatly reduces stress and anxiety for children, and it provides a vital opportunity to meet other young people going through similar experiences. It benefits both their physical and mental wellbeing, so we couldn’t be happier with the transformation.”

Tobi Evans, a volunteer with the fundraising group, said: “Because of the generosity of everyone who donates, we are able to give thousands each year. We are always humbled by how much people give, and it’s thanks to them that we’ve reached our 25th year.”

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer for Hywel Dda Health Charities, added: “We can’t thank the 3 Amigos and Dollies enough for their support for Cilgerran ward. You have put a smile on so many faces. Diolch yn fawr!”

Hywel Dda Health Charities funds items, equipment and activities that go beyond core NHS funding, making a meaningful difference to children and families across mid and west Wales.