Three new national clinical leads will be appointed to help transform planned care services, stroke and diabetes in Wales, the Welsh Government announced today (Thurs 8th May).
The new clinical lead for planned care will focus on improving scheduled care in the NHS, which includes planned operations and diagnostic tests for tens of thousands of people. Their work will include changing NHS working practices and improving the management of capacity and demand in the health service.
The clinical lead for stroke will drive forward improvements outlined in the Stroke Delivery Plan, with the ultimate aim to reduce the number of people who suffer a stroke in Wales and increase survival rates.
The new clinical lead for diabetes will concentrate on implementing the Diabetes Delivery Plan, which will improve care and outcomes for an increasing number of people in Wales who are diagnosed with the life-long condition.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“Our health service faces the combined challenges of austerity, an ageing population, more people living with long-term conditions and advances in new medicines.
“These new clinical lead roles will help us to meet these challenges while also continuing to make improvements in the way we care and support people in Wales.
“Planning the care we provide across the NHS is crucial to improving our efficiency. We need to do more to address long waiting times for planned care. The clinical lead for planned care will focus on reducing waiting times across our health service, with an emphasis on new ways of working to achieve safer and more sustainable clinical pathways in the future. This will include more appropriate referral management and supporting GPs to manage people in the community.
“The three new positions will provide national leadership in their respective areas and play a significant part in the Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to the NHS in Wales.”
Each of the posts will be advertised on an open basis within the NHS in Wales. When appointed they will work alongside the national clinical lead for unscheduled care, Dr Grant Robinson, who was appointed in September 2013.
