The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has responded to Healthcare Inspectorate Wales’ 2024-25 report, warning that ongoing underinvestment and workforce shortages are putting patient care in Wales at risk.
Responding to the report, Dr Hilary Williams, RCP vice president for Wales and clinical vice president said:
“This report from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) paints a stark but accurate picture of a health service under sustained pressure. Across Wales, doctors and healthcare professionals continue to deliver compassionate, person-centred care in environments that are often stretched beyond capacity. Corridor care is becoming normalised in Welsh hospitals, due in part to delayed discharges and underinvestment in social care. High quality medical training is falling further down the priority list as patient demand rises – cutting off the talent pipeline for our future clinical leaders and senior expert decision-makers. There is still too much variation in quality standards, performance and delivery between health boards.
“The RCP fully supports HIW’s call for safe, dignified and effective care for every patient. To achieve this, we need investment in people – expanding and retaining the workforce, giving staff protected time for training, supervision and quality improvement, and ensuring local leaders have the resources they need to embed change. Our manifesto for next year’s Senedd election calls for a clinically led long-term health and social care workforce plan that addresses rural recruitment, changing working patterns, infrastructure and technology, and puts a clear focus on supporting and empowering early career doctors by improving competition ratios, the quality and experience of medical training, and career progression.
“Improvement is only possible when staff are listened to and supported. This report highlights both the dedication of multi professional healthcare teams and the systemic challenges that threaten to undermine that commitment. We urge the Welsh government and health boards to act on HIW’s findings and to prioritise sustained investment in staff, digital infrastructure and leadership – so that good care can become the norm, not the exception.”