Following publication of the Picture of Public Services report we’re publishing a series of sector-specific summary reports.

This report summarises key information about healthcare in Wales.

It explores capacity, performance, finances, and outlines some of the key issues or challenges.

What we found

Healthcare is a hugely complex sector with specific issues affecting different parts of the system. This report is not intended to be comprehensive. It sets out what we consider to be some of the key issues for healthcare.

We found four key issues in Healthcare:

1. Whole system change is overdue.
2. Learning from the COVID-19 response offers opportunities to overcome barriers to transformation.
3. There are opportunities to better focus the health system in Wales around outcomes for patients and the wider population.
4. Transforming services at the same time as tackling backlogs and the ongoing COVID-19 response will be challenging.

The challenge of recovering services and addressing the indirect impact of COVID-19 will likely continue for years into the future.

Despite the significant challenges ahead, there are opportunities to rebuild and deliver services differently, putting people at the centre of services, and learning from the collective response to COVID-19.