National Assembly for Wales

From April 2026, the new NHS dental contract arrangements will mean that NHS dentistry is provided on a risk and needs basis, with prevention at its core. This will provide a fairer and more equitable system for dentists and patients, enabling health boards to provide care to those who need it most.

The Welsh Government supports the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable families through targeted early years programmes. These are focused on early intervention and prevention. Central to this is Flying Start, which provides enhanced health visiting, parenting support, funded childcare for two-year-olds and support for early language development in our most disadvantaged communities. This is complemented by outreach beyond designated areas and wider action to tackle poverty and inequality.

Ending care in temporary spaces requires better patient flow. The health board plans to achieve this by expanding same-day emergency care, accelerating discharge, boosting community capacity, and strengthening senior clinical decision making. The Welsh Government is supporting through extra funding, an intensive support team, and daily performance oversight to reduce crowding quickly but sustainably.

Improving health services for women is a priority for this Government. Gynaecology waiting times continue to fall in north Wales over the last 12 months, with the median wait for treatment falling by seven weeks to just over 28 weeks in December, and the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks for a first out-patient appointments falling by just over 66 per cent. Work to improve access to specialist gynaecology services continues with a focus on new service models for gynaecological cancer, specialist endometriosis care and late-stage abortion care in Wales.