#jeremy-miles-ms — Public Fediverse posts

WELSH LABOUR: Ken Skates confirmed as leader — the morning after his nine MSs sank Plaid’s budget

Ken Skates has been confirmed as the permanent leader of Welsh Labour — hours after the party helped inflict the heaviest defeat yet on the Plaid Cymru government it now leads the opposition to.

Welsh Labour says all nine members of its Senedd group nominated Skates when nominations opened last Thursday, confirming his appointment without a wider contest.

Among the nine is Mike Hedges, the Gŵyr Abertawe MS and the region’s longest-serving Labour member in the Senedd.

His deputy is a Swansea MP. Carolyn Harris, the member for Swansea East, is deputy leader of Welsh Labour, and said Skates had her full backing.

“He has my full backing as he undertakes the big task ahead of him — listening, learning, rebuilding and doing that crucial job of holding Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK, to account in the Senedd,” she said.

A leader confirmed in a week of open warfare

The confirmation lands in the middle of the sharpest fight of the new Senedd term. The Plaid government’s £294m budget was voted down 49–44 on Tuesday night, with Labour among the parties that rejected it — and the government’s finance minister accusing Labour of destructive opposition.

The wreckage he inherits

Skates became interim leader in May, after Eluned Morgan lost her seat at the election and stood down as leader.

That election ended 27 years of Labour rule in Wales, with Rhun ap Iorwerth confirmed as the first Plaid Cymru First Minister — and Labour reduced to nine seats in the enlarged 96-member Senedd, having held 30 of 60 in the old chamber.

Lee Waters, the former Llanelli MS, said after the result that the party faces an “existential crisis” — conceding the 20mph policy he masterminded had come at a political price.

Two coronations in one year

The pattern is now familiar at both ends of the M4. At Westminster, Andy Burnham succeeded Keir Starmer as UK Labour leader without a contest — the man now tipped to be Britain’s next prime minister — and Skates’ confirmation makes it two Labour leaders installed unopposed this year.

Harris was on the losing side of the first. In May she publicly backed Starmer to stay, while Gower’s Tonia Antoniazzi joined the calls for him to go.

Four leaders in under three years

Skates is Welsh Labour’s fourth leader in under three years. Mark Drakeford’s departure triggered the last contested leadership election — and it turned on a Neath politician.

Jeremy Miles, then the Neath MS, narrowly lost that contest to Vaughan Gething in March 2024. Gething stood down within months, and Eluned Morgan took over that summer without a contest.

Morgan’s resignation after May’s election defeat brought Skates in as interim leader. His confirmation this week means three of the four leaders since Drakeford have been installed unopposed — the Miles-Gething race remains the only time the members have had a say.

Miles did not seek re-election to the Senedd in May.

The Skates record — and the Llanelli connection

Skates was first elected in 2011 and held several Welsh Government roles, including Transport Secretary and Economy and Infrastructure Secretary. He was re-elected in May for the new Fflint Wrecsam constituency.

His return to transport in 2024 came at the expense of a local figure. Skates took the brief over from Waters, then the Llanelli MS, whose time in the role produced two of the most contested policies of recent years — the default 20mph limit and the ban on most new road building.

Skates moved to soften both: announcing a route back to 30mph for some roads, and easing the government’s stance on new road schemes.

“I joined the party as a 14-year-old, and my belief still stands that no child’s future should be determined by their background,” he said of his appointment.

“The Labour movement for me is a movement for fairness, justice, security and liberty. It is a movement that seeks to empower people and communities, to fight against injustice, intolerance, nepotism and cruelty.”

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LEE WATERS: Architect of Wales’ 20mph law admits it ‘came at a price’
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What the new UK Labour leader’s devolution push could mean for this corner of Wales.

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A&E crisis: Nearly 1,000 deaths in Wales linked to 12-hour waits as calls grow for urgent action

New figures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine reveal 965 deaths in 2025 were associated with long emergency department waits — an average of 18 people every week.

The total is up on the previous year, with doctors warning the scale of the crisis should send “shockwaves” through the political system.

“A matter of life and death”

Emergency medicine experts say the situation inside A&E departments has become critical.

Dr Rob Perry said many of those affected were among the most vulnerable patients — people already in need of urgent hospital care.

“Any number of avoidable deaths is a tragedy — that there were almost a thousand last year should send shockwaves,” he said.

“This is a matter of life and death.”

The report points to overcrowded hospitals, high bed occupancy and delays discharging patients as key drivers — leaving emergency departments gridlocked.t door” of emergency departments, but at the “back door” — where patients cannot be moved into wards quickly enough.

How delays are linked to deaths

The analysis suggests one death occurs for every 72 patients forced to wait 12 hours or more before being admitted.

Experts say tackling patient flow through hospitals — not just demand at the front door — is key to preventing further loss of life.

The College is now calling on all parties to commit to ending deaths associated with long waits by 2030.

Government: “Real progress” on waiting lists

The stark findings come just days after the Welsh Government published its latest NHS performance figures — highlighting improvements elsewhere in the system.

According to ministers:

• The average waiting time for treatment has fallen to around 18 weeks
• Waiting lists have dropped for eight months in a row
• January saw a record monthly fall of 27,900 patients

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the figures showed “real, tangible progress”.

“Health boards are delivering more appointments and more operations… making sure people are seen and treated faster,” he said.

How delays are costing lives

The analysis uses a recognised measure suggesting one death occurs for every 72 patients forced to wait 12 hours or more.

That equates to hundreds of potentially avoidable deaths each year.

The College is now calling on all political parties to commit to ending deaths linked to long A&E waits by 2030, warning that failure to act will lead to more lives lost.

More operations — but pressure remains

The Welsh Government says the improvements have been driven by:

• 187,000 extra outpatient appointments
• A record 37,000 cataract operations
• Additional £120 million funding

There have also been improvements in ambulance response times and hospital handovers.

But ministers acknowledge winter pressures remain high, with A&E departments recording one of their busiest periods on record.

Political pressure ramps up

The figures have prompted renewed criticism from the Welsh Conservatives.

Shadow Health Secretary Peter Fox said urgent action is needed.

“Every patient deserves timely care and no one should have to wait 12 hours or more,” he said.

“This data underlines the urgent need for strong, effective action.”

He reiterated calls to declare a health emergency to bring down waiting times and end corridor care.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS put the blame firmly at an overstretched social care system.

“These figures are a national scandal. Nearly a thousand people dying after waiting over 12 hours in A&E reflects a system that is fundamentally broken and causing avoidable deaths. 

“For too long, the focus has been on the front door of hospitals, when the real crisis is at the back door. Patients cannot be discharged because social care is overstretched, beds remain blocked, and A&E departments become dangerously overcrowded.

“If we are serious about ending these avoidable deaths, the next Welsh Government must properly fund social care and take a whole-system approach to fixing patient flow and funding social care properly will be a red line in any negotiations we hold with other parties.”

Two pictures of the NHS

Together, the figures paint a complex picture of the Welsh NHS.

On one hand, waiting lists are falling and more patients are being treated.

On the other, emergency departments remain under severe pressure, with long waits continuing to be linked to hundreds of deaths each year.

With a Senedd election approaching, the challenge for politicians is clear — turning progress on paper into safer care on the frontline.

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https://www.europesays.com/uk/770919/ 160 NEW VEHICLES: Inside the £23m blitz to modernise Wales’ ambulance fleet and slash response times #AI #ambulance #Britain #DefibrillatorDrones #GreatBritain #JeremyMilesMS #NewAmbulances #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales #WelshAmbulanceServiceTrust #WelshGovernment

160 NEW VEHICLES: Inside the £23m blitz to modernise Wales’ ambulance fleet and slash response times

The funding, announced by the Welsh Government, will provide a massive fleet upgrade for the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust. The new rollout includes:

• 50 new emergency ambulances
• 40 single responder vehicles
• 67 Non-Emergency Patient Transport Vehicles
• 3 specialist Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) vehicles

Faster, Greener, More Reliable

The investment is part of an ongoing modernisation programme to replace aging vehicles with models that meet the latest emissions standards. As the service covers over 8,000 square miles, including the challenging rural terrain of Carmarthenshire and the busy streets of Swansea, reliability is seen as the top priority.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, said:

“When someone dials 999, they need to know that help is on the way. This investment ensures our ambulance service has the modern, reliable fleet it needs to be there for people across Wales.”

High-Tech Future: Drones and AI

Beyond new vans, the service is also embracing “smarter care” technology. Trials are currently underway for defibrillator drones to reach rural areas, while AI is being explored to support 999 call handlers during peak periods.

Chris Turley, Executive Director of Finance for the Trust, added:

“Modern ambulances are more dependable, better equipped to support patient care and provide a safer, more comfortable working environment for our staff. We’re also proud to be playing our part in reducing our environmental footprint.”

The new fleet will feature hybrid engines and solar panels as part of a commitment to a “greener” future for the national health service.

Is the ambulance service improving in your area? Let us know in the comments below.

£2m upgrade begins at Glangwili Hospital to ease pressure on A&E

Hywel Dda University Health Board confirmed that contractors are now overhauling the hospital’s Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit after receiving £2.096m from Welsh Government.

The health board said the upgrade will create more consultation rooms, a better reception area and an improved environment for patients and staff. According to the board, the expanded SDEC service is expected to ease demand on A&E and support wider efforts to improve patient flow across its acute hospitals and the Minor Injury Unit at Prince Philip Hospital.

Project director Keith Jones, Hywel Dda’s Director of Operational Planning and Performance, said the investment would make a significant difference.

“We are very grateful to Welsh Government for the £2.096 million funding that will enable us to increase the capacity of the SDEC at Glangwili,” he said. “This, in turn, will help to reduce capacity pressures on the Emergency Department and enable our staff to provide a much smoother and swifter experience for patients in our care.”

Services on the move during building work

The health board said the refurbishment means several services have been temporarily relocated within the hospital site.

The SDEC unit, along with the Discharge Lounge and Medical Day Unit at the Priory Day Hospital, has moved to Y Lolfa (formerly Padarn Ward). The Cancer Information and Support Service (CISS) and Cancer Psychological Support Service (CaPS) have also moved, though contact details remain unchanged.

Some services — including podiatry, neuro‑rehabilitation and occupational therapy — will stay at the Priory Day Hospital, but access routes have changed while work continues.

Mr Jones said patients have been informed of any changes in their appointment letters.

“We ask patients attending any of the clinics affected to double‑check their appointment letters for information about the location of their treatment,” he said. “Thank you in advance to everyone visiting our site for their patience and understanding while the improvement works are underway.”

Welsh Government: investment will improve urgent care

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said the funding would help improve the experience of patients needing urgent and emergency care.

“I’m pleased this £2m‑plus investment will help to reduce pressures on the emergency department and improve people’s experience when they need emergency and urgent care at Glangwili Hospital,” he said.

“Addressing overcrowding will reduce waits and handover delays, streamline flow through the hospital and improve the experience of patients and staff.”

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Welsh Government hands GPs £41m pay boost after threat of dispute

The deal, struck between ministers, NHS Wales and the General Practitioners Committee (GPC) Wales, includes a 4% uplift to the general medical services contract in 2025‑26 — in line with independent DDRB recommendations — and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent funding uplift from 2026‑27.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the package “demonstrates our unwavering commitment to general practice in Wales,” adding:

“The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country.”

What’s in the deal

The settlement delivers £37.9m in fresh investment, backed up by £4m re‑deployed from capacity funding, to shore up surgeries for 2025‑26. Alongside the pay rise, there’s a 1.77% uplift for expenses to help practices cope with spiralling costs, and a recurrent £20m injection to stabilise services and prepare for reform.

The partnership premium is also being boosted to keep experienced GPs in the system and make partnerships more attractive — a move aimed at securing continuity of care for patients. And in a significant step, the government has promised the first full review in more than 20 years of the allocation formula for the General Medical Services contract, raising hopes that funding will finally reflect the realities of today’s communities.

Hard‑won agreement

But the deal didn’t come easily. Doctors had warned they were prepared to enter a formal contract dispute and even ballot for collective action if ministers failed to meet their demands.

Dr Gareth Oelmann, chair of the BMA’s GP committee in Wales, said:

“This settlement provides much‑needed stability for practices and recognises the tireless work of GPs and their teams. But it comes against a backdrop of years of underinvestment, and we will continue to press for a fairer share of NHS funding for general practice.”

Committee members unanimously backed the final package, describing it as a stabilising step that gives practices the certainty they need to plan ahead. The profession, however, made clear that trust has been strained by years of underfunding — and that the promised review of the allocation formula will be a crucial test of whether funding really reflects the needs of today’s communities.

Wider concerns

Critics warn the funding boost doesn’t undo a decade of decline. The BMA has pointed out that the share of NHS Wales spending on general practice has dropped from 8.7% to just 6% since 2005 — a slide described as “like turning a supertanker.” Only last year, almost 99% of Welsh GPs rejected a government contract offer, underlining how fragile confidence remains.

Miles insisted the multi‑year deal will allow practices to invest in transformation and deliver more care closer to home. Working groups are also being set up to improve access standards and tackle diabetes prevention, with GPs actively involved in shaping new service models.

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#BMA #BritishMedicalAssociation #doctor #doctorSPay #doctorsSurgery #GeneralPractitioner #GeneralPractitionersCommittee #GP #GPPay #GPC #JeremyMilesMS #payRise #WelshGovernment

NHS Wales complaints system overhaul approved by Senedd

The change marks the biggest shake‑up of complaints handling and incident investigation in almost 15 years. Ministers say the new approach will make the system more compassionate, less bureaucratic, and easier for patients and families to navigate.

And in a move that sounds like it could have been scripted for BBC satire W1A, the NHS in Wales will no longer be “Putting Things Right” but instead will be “Listening to People.”

A new two‑stage process

The reforms in the new “Listening to People” introduce a two‑stage resolution system. The first stage will focus on early resolution, giving patients and families the chance to have their concerns heard quickly. If issues cannot be resolved at that point, a second stage may involve assessing liability and offering redress of up to £50,000.

Under the new rules, NHS organisations will be required to hold “listening discussions” with complainants, ensuring people feel their experiences are taken seriously. Communication must be clear and compassionate, with complex medical or legal terms explained in plain language. Patients will also be offered advocacy and legal support to help them navigate the process.

The higher redress threshold of £50,000 is designed to reduce the need for lengthy and costly litigation, while mandatory checks will ensure complaints are resolved within set timeframes.

Principles behind the reforms

The system is underpinned by four principles: that people are listened to and treated with respect; that investigations are proportionate and effective; that lessons are learned to prevent mistakes happening again; and that NHS leaders are held accountable for meeting regulatory standards.

Minister: old Putting Things Right system ‘let too many people down’

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said the previous Putting Things Right system had been “overly bureaucratic and legalistic,” compounding injury and grief for too many families.

He added:

“By speaking out you have helped to change the culture of NHS complaint handling to a much more open and supportive system.

This new system will significantly strengthen the existing NHS complaints system, by ensuring complaints can be made easily and they are dealt with in a compassionate, effective and timely manner.”

Oversight and delivery

Implementation will be led by NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, with oversight from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and Llais, the national patient voice body.

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NHS waiting lists still high – but Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda avoid worst delays

The latest figures show just under 793,100 patient pathways in July – the equivalent of more than 600,000 people waiting for treatment. That’s a slight fall compared with June, but the number of people waiting more than two years rose again to just over 8,000.

In Swansea Bay University Health Board, which covers Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, no patients are waiting more than two years for treatment or more than a year for a first outpatient appointment. In Hywel Dda University Health Board, covering Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, fewer than 1% of patients are waiting that long.

By contrast, other parts of Wales still have significant backlogs.

What the numbers show

• Around 56.6% of patients were waiting less than 26 weeks in July – a small improvement.
• About 265,700 people had been waiting more than 36 weeks (nine months). That’s roughly one in three of everyone on the list.
• Nearly 73,200 people were waiting more than a year for a first outpatient appointment – up slightly on June, but still well below the peak in 2022.
• The number waiting more than two years is 88% lower than the peak in March 2022, but has crept up again in recent months.

Political row over figures

The publication of the statistics has sparked a row after the Welsh Government began releasing provisional data a month earlier than the official figures, which normally have a seven‑week lag.

Opposition parties say the change is designed to make Labour look better ahead of next May’s Senedd election. Welsh Conservative health spokesman James Evans MS said:

“These figures represent yet another abysmal failure by the Welsh Labour Government, the longest waits are rising and progress is being lost yet again.”

Andrew RT Davies MS, former leader of the Welsh Conservatives, added:

“Patients across Wales will be deeply frustrated by the evaporation of progress on the longest waits in our NHS.”

Plaid Cymru’s health spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor called the change in reporting:

“a clear attempt to manipulate the figures by Labour in the hope that they will look better immediately before an election.”

The Welsh Government denies this, saying there is “considerable public interest” in more timely data and that the move has been welcomed by the UK’s official statistics watchdog.

Government response

Welsh Health Secretary Jeremy Miles pointed to signs of improvement, highlighting that more people than ever are starting cancer treatment and that long waits are far below their peak.

He said:

“This month, 15,000 extra outpatient appointments are being provided across Wales which shows how we are increasing activity all over the country to ensure people are being seen quicker. I remain confident we will see a significant reduction in long waits by the end of the second quarter.”

Emergency and cancer care

The wider NHS remains under pressure:

• In August, just 65.4% of patients were seen within four hours in A&E, well below the 95% target. More than 10,400 people waited over 12 hours.
• Ambulance response times for the most urgent “purple” calls averaged 7 minutes 15 seconds, within target, but “red” emergencies averaged 9 minutes 15 seconds, outside the target.
• In July, 2,301 people started cancer treatment – the highest figure on record. But only 61% began treatment within the 62‑day target, short of the 75% benchmark.

What it means for our area

For people in Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda, the picture is mixed. The longest waits have been cleared or kept to a minimum, but thousands are still waiting months for treatment.

While politicians argue over targets and statistics, patients like those in Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire continue to face delays that can mean living with pain or uncertainty. One retired teacher from Ystalyfera told the BBC he paid £7,500 for a hip replacement in Lithuania after being told he faced a three‑year wait on the NHS.

#AndrewRTDaviesMS #HywelDdaNHS #JamesEvansMS #JeremyMilesMS #MabonApGwynfor #NHSWaitingList #NHSWales #patientPathways #SwanseaBayNHS #WelshGovernment

Scottish health leader brought in to scrutinise Swansea Bay maternity overhaul after damning reviews

The appointment of Ann Gow, Deputy Chief Executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland and a qualified midwife, comes in the wake of three independent reviews that painted a stark picture of repeated failings in care.

As we reported in July, those reviews uncovered a pattern of poor communication, women and families feeling ignored, a lack of compassion, unsafe environments, and birth partners being separated at critical moments. They also exposed deep‑rooted cultural problems, staffing shortages, and gaps in training — with patient safety and dignity repeatedly compromised.

The findings were so serious that Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles MS moved the services from level 3 to level 4 intervention — the most serious category — placing them under direct Welsh Government oversight.

‘Unacceptable experiences’

Mr Miles said the reviews highlighted “unacceptable patient and family experiences” and that Ms Gow’s role as independent observer on the Swansea Bay Maternity and Neonatal Oversight Panel would be to ensure the health board’s promised reforms are delivered in full.

“I have met the Chief Executive and Chair of Swansea Bay University Health Board on a number of occasions to gain assurance of the safety and quality of care,” he said. “Ann Gow brings extensive leadership experience in improvement, review, regulation and inspection of healthcare provision across all sectors.”

A career built on women and children’s care

Ms Gow’s career spans frontline midwifery and health visiting through to national‑level leadership. In Scotland, she has overseen improvement programmes on healthcare staffing, excellence in care, and integrated services, while raising the visibility and influence of nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.

Her arrival adds another layer of scrutiny to a system already under intense examination. In August, the Welsh Government also commissioned a Wales‑wide review of maternity and neonatal services led by former Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Professor Sally Holland.

Restoring trust

The oversight panel, chaired by patient safety expert Dr Denise Chaffer CBE, will track the health board’s progress against the reviews’ recommendations and report back to ministers. For families who have endured trauma in Swansea Bay’s maternity units, the hope is that this new appointment signals not just another layer of bureaucracy — but a turning point.

#JeremyMilesMS #maternity #maternityUnit #neonatal #neonatalUnit #SingletonHospital #SwanseaBayNHS #WelshGovernment

£481k upgrade for Withybush Hospital’s gamma camera to boost diagnostics

Gamma cameras are used to detect and diagnose a wide range of conditions by capturing detailed images of organs and tissues using gamma rays and advanced imaging technology. The upgrade will extend the life of the hospital’s existing system, enabling state‑of‑the‑art 3D imaging and more advanced analysis.

The enhanced equipment will help doctors continue diagnosing conditions and planning treatments without disruption to services.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, said:

“We’re working to ensure that hospitals across the country are equipped with modern and state‑of‑the‑art equipment to help medical teams deliver the best possible care.

This £481,000 upgrade for an enhanced gamma camera will help to maintain essential diagnostic services in West Wales and help prevent treatment delays, ensuring people receive timely and effective care.”

Dr Liaquat Khan, Clinical Director of Radiology at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said the funding would enhance the hospital’s nuclear medicine facilities:

“It will allow us to introduce new post‑processing software that offers a more comprehensive and sophisticated analysis of the images we take.

It will also help us to improve patients’ experience when they are in our care, creating a more comfortable and welcoming environment for people undergoing specialist imaging procedures. This vital piece of equipment serves not only Withybush Hospital but also provides specialist nuclear medicine imaging across the entire health board and beyond.”

#GammaCamera #Haverfordwest #HywelDdaNHS #JeremyMilesMS #WelshGovernment #WithybushHospital

Former Children’s Commissioner to lead Wales-wide review of maternity and neonatal services

The Welsh Government says the work will focus on the safety and quality of all maternity and neonatal services, providing “real-time and immediate assurance” in the wake of the independent review into Swansea Bay’s maternity services and the Llais Cymru report on patient experiences at Singleton Hospital.

Professor Holland, a leading social care academic and former Children’s Commissioner for Wales, will head the Maternity and Neonatal Assurance Assessment Oversight Panel. The panel will gather evidence from families, staff and clinical experts, with the voices of women and families described as “central” to understanding the quality, safety and culture of services.

The review follows the July publication of Dr Denise Chaffer’s independent report into Swansea Bay University Health Board, which found repeated failings in care, inconsistent standards and missed opportunities for learning. That report led to the Health Secretary escalating the Health Board’s maternity and neonatal services to Level Four intervention, the second highest level of Welsh Government oversight.

It also comes after Llais Cymru’s investigation revealed distressing accounts from new mothers, including reports of being left in pain, ignored during labour and unsupported after birth.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said the new assessment will “scrutinise maternity and neonatal services across Wales and provide recommendations for how they can be improved”.

Professor Holland will be joined by a panel of experts with backgrounds in family engagement, obstetrics, midwifery and neonatology. Members include Ken Sutton, Heidi Smoult, Sue Holden, Dr Edile Murdoch, Dr Jo Mountfield and Professor Mary Renfrew.

The panel is expected to provide initial advice to the Health Secretary by the end of the year.

#JeremyMilesMS #LlaisCymru #maternity #maternityUnit #SallyHolland #SingletonHospital #SwanseaBayUniversityHealthBoard #WelshGovernment

Welsh HIV testing service gets funding boost

More than £9m is being invested in Wales’ HIV Action Plan over the next two years, which includes almost £4m a year to expand access to testing services.

The online testing service already provides 40,000 at-home HIV tests every year and almost 16,000 community testing kits across Wales. The new funding will support the further expansion of the service.

Other measures to be supported include improving access and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which reduces the risk of contracting HIV through sex by 99% when taken as prescribed.

Wales already provides PrEP through the NHS, now an alternative form of the medicine will be routinely available for those who cannot take the current form.

Strengthening support services to ensure people with HIV live well and receive the right treatment when they need it. Building on the support already available in Wales, funding will be allocated for a national peer support programme.  

Welsh Government Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said: “We want people who are living with HIV in Wales to live their best possible lives.

“We will raise awareness of the importance of testing and expanding our successful online testing services, making it easier for people to access a test. We will also make it easier for people to access PrEP and re-enforce the key message that people who are on effective treatment cannot pass HIV onto others.”

#Health #HIV #HIVTesting #JeremyMilesMS #PrEP