Recent years have seen an increasingly false economy in the management and funding of our health services in Wales.
We have been investing less than we should be in measures that keep people healthy, and then picking up the bill when they then become unwell, need treatment or are forced to stop work.
A Plaid Cymru government will work to correct this imbalance. We will ensure that policymaking across government works to address the social determinants of health – including in housing, education and poverty reduction – and reprioritise public and preventative health to keep people healthier for longer.
We will:
- Create a new Minister for Public Health within the Welsh Government, with responsibility for promoting people’s physical and mental health and well-being across everything the Welsh Government does – ensuring that all Government policy is aligned towards the goal of creating a healthier population, and with a targeted focus on chronic conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
- Develop a new, comprehensive Public Health Strategy and Framework for Wales, based on a root-and-branch review of current and future public health needs, including targeted Children’s and Older People’s Health Plans.
- Progressively shift resources to measures that promote better health and well-being – including promoting healthy lifestyles, support for community arts, culture and sports, and tackling poor housing and health inequalities.
- Promote social prescribing and nature-based interventions to improve people’s health and well-being.