WAHWN News

WAHWN joins call for national conversation on Wales' future health and wellbeing

WAHWN has joined more than 30 organisations in supporting the Welsh NHS Confederation’s call for a cross-government national conversation on the future of health and wellbeing.

On the day of the Welsh NHS Confederation's 2023 conference, we are among 32 organisations from a range of sectors in Wales supporting calls for a cross-government and cross-sector public conversation on the future of health and care services and the population’s health and wellbeing.

We believe it is for all government departments, ministers and sectors to ask what they can do to support the health and wellbeing of people now and in the future.

The health and wellbeing of the population is everyone’s business, so all sectors and government departments must work together to co-produce services and engage with the public as part of this vital conversation.

The changing make-up of our population – including an ageing population with increased frailty and long-term conditions - brings with it immense challenges for all sectors and to individuals themselves. We must take decisive action now to co-produce and redesign services to ensure they better meet the changing needs of the population, so that all public and third sector services remain sustainable in the future.

Chair of the Arts Council of Wales, Maggie Russell, said: “We know that health doesn’t hold all the levers when it comes to tackling health inequalities and recognise that all public bodies, including the arts and culture, can have a significant role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing.

"The pandemic revealed just how crucial the arts are to people’s health and wellbeing in a time of crisis and as Social Prescribing looks to connect people with local support and take pressure off the NHS, the arts sector in Wales stands ready to ensure that our community cultural assets are a core part of the offer and wider prevention agenda. The Welsh NHS Confederation’s call for a collaborative, integrated, person-centred approach with co-production, climate justice and partnership at its heart has strong synergy with the work we are advancing in the arts in Wales.”

The full press release and further quotes in support of the national conversation can be found on the Welsh NHS Confederation's website.