Welsh Government appoints external advisory group to review NHS

The Welsh Government has appointed an external ministerial advisory group to provide an independent review of Wales’ NHS.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles said the individuals that make up the group have “national and international expertise in their respective fields”.

It’s hoped the group will support the Welsh Government’s efforts to cut long waiting times.

NHS waiting lists in Wales hit a new record high in May with about a fifth of the Welsh population waiting to be seen.

Last week the Welsh and UK Governments announced a plan to collaborate to decrease the burden of NHS waits in both England and Wales – but details of how the plan will work have yet to be confirmed.

The new Ministerial Advisory Group on NHS Performance and Productivity announced today (October 1) will operate independently from NHS Wales.

Performance

Mr Miles said: “Through its membership, the group will provide me with external assurance on the effectiveness of current arrangements which aim to improve performance and productivity across NHS Wales, and views on how the current arrangements could be strengthened to further improve performance and productivity.

“There will be a particular focus on planned care, cancer performance and reducing the longest waits, as well as looking at existing programmes to improve emergency and urgent care in Wales.”

Team

Sir David Sloman, who has spent his 40-year career in health care management, will Chair the group.

He was awarded a knighthood in 2017 for his services to the NHS and served as NHS England’s chief operating officer from December 2021 until his retirement in September 2023.

Professor Tim Briggs will also from part of the team. The consultant orthopaedic surgeon was appointed national director for clinical improvement and elective recovery for NHS England in November 2022.

He is chair of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme and has overseen the roll out of the GIRFT programme into Wales, Northern Ireland and Australia across a number of specialties.

Mr Briggs is also the chair and national lead of the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance and Honorary Colonel of 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital RAMC and was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List for services to the surgical profession.

He is joined by Professor Sally Lewis. The former GP and former director of the Welsh Value in Health Centre is now an international speaker and strategic advisor on the concept of value in healthcare.

Professor Marcus Longley will also take part – he has worked in the NHS and as an academic in health policy, for more than 40 years.

He was director of the Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care, University of South Wales, for many years – where he is now Professor Emeritus in Health Policy – a vice chair and chair of Welsh health boards, and is currently the Deputy Chair of the UK Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care.

Pressures

Adam Roberts will also take part. He has held senior roles across NHS England where he is currently the Director for Urgent and Emergency Care Operational Insight.

He brings experience of developing national policy to improve outcomes for patients, and management of real-time operational pressures.

Ed Rose will also join the team. He was director of delivery for NHS England’s National Cancer Programme from 2021-2024, responsible for the implementation of a range of early diagnosis programmes and recovery of performance following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Rose was also NHS England’s director of elective, cancer and diagnostics from 2023-2024 and was adviser to Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, from 2015-2018.

Prior to this he worked in the Prime Minister’s implementation unit under the coalition government.

Dr Tara Sood will also join the group. She trained at the University of Bristol and has worked as a consultant in Emergency Medicine at the Royal Free Hospital for over 15 years.

She has previously chaired the Royal College of Emergency Medicine ambulatory emergency care special interest group and is currently an NHS England National Specialty Advisor for Same Day Emergency Care.

Sir Paul Williams is a former chief executive of three NHS trusts and of NHS Wales as well as director general for health and social services, Welsh Government.

Following his retirement, he was appointed a member of the Bevan Commission, non-executive director at Natural Resources Wales, member of the Ministerial Advisory Board for Economy, Transport and Science, chair of the Public Transport Users Advisory Panel, member of the Commission on Mutuals and Cooperatives, and chair of the Commission on Public Service and Delivery.

The group will meet for the first time in October 2024 and will provide the Cabinet Secretary for Health with advice by 31 March 2025.