The National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006 was given Royal assent. The Act was designed to consolidate legal provisions relating to the organization of the National Health Service in Wales, and to separate them from those relating to England.
Source: National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006, Department for Constitutional Affairs, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act
Date: 2006-Nov
The healthcare inspectorate for Wales published its annual report for 2005-06.
Source: Annual Report 2005-2006, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (029 2092 8850)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Nov
A report by a committee of the National Assembly for Wales said that the National Health Service in Wales overspent by more than £30 million in 2005-06, and also had 'historic debt' totalling £82 million. The size of the debt, despite increased funding, called into question how well the service was managed.
Source: Is the NHS in Wales Managing Within its Available Financial Resources?, Audit Committee/National Assembly for Wales (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
An evaluation found that joint reviews were having a positive impact in helping to raise standards of social services in Wales. Joint reviews were consistent in approach and judgement, promoted improvement in services, and were inclusive - fully involving staff, users and local politicians.
Source: Roger Clough and Les Bright, Evaluating the Second Round of Joint Reviews, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Summary | SSIW press release | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Nov
The Welsh Assembly Government began consultation on an action plan designed to improve the mental health and well-being of people in Wales; reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems; and promote social inclusion for people experiencing mental health problems.
Source: Mental Health Promotion Action Plan for Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Plan | Plan (Welsh)
Date: 2006-Oct
A survey examined health status, health-related lifestyles, and health service use in Wales. Adults in the South Wales valleys generally reported the highest levels of illness.
Source: Welsh Health Survey: 2003/05 Local Authority Report, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
A report examined the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in Wales, together with concerns over the implementation of strategies to improve them.
Source: Martyn Standing, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: An interview study of the perceptions of mental health professionals on services in Wales, Board of Community Health Councils in Wales (0845 644 7814)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined the context of policy-making on health by the Welsh Assembly. Although policy-making had been far-reaching, the implementation of policy had proved problematic. Social policy academics and politicians had underestimated the barriers to reform.
Source: Mark Drakeford, 'Health policy in Wales: making a difference in conditions of difficulty', Critical Social Policy, Volume 26 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Aug
The Welsh Assembly government published a draft new strategy for social services in Wales. It said that social services should ensure that individuals and families were properly supported by coherent services that offered continuity of care for those with enduring needs. Local authorities should remain both commissioners and providers of services, but should take a more active role in shaping the mixed market of private, public, and voluntary care.
Source: Fulfilled Lives, Supportive Communities: A strategy for social services in Wales over the next decade, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Draft strategy | BBC report
Date: 2006-Aug
The results were published from the second year of the Welsh Health Survey (October 2004 to September 2005). The survey looked at health status, health-related lifestyle, and health service use. 28 per cent of adults reported that they smoked. On days when they drank, 39 per cent of adults reported that they usually drank more than the 'sensible' drinking guidelines; and 19 per cent of adults reported binge drinking on at least one day in the previous week.
Source: Welsh Health Survey 2004/05, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report | WAG press release
Date: 2006-Aug
An Act creating a Commissioner for Older People in Wales was given Royal assent, following a third reading of the Bill.
Source: Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Act 2006, Wales Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 19 July 2006, columns 406-422, TSO
Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes to Bill | Wales Office press release | HOC brief
Date: 2006-Jul
The National Health Service (Wales) Bill was introduced. The Bills was designed to consolidate legal provisions relating to the organization of the National Health Service in Wales, and to separate them from those relating to England.
Source: National Health Service Bill (Wales) [HL], Department for Constitutional Affairs, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill
Date: 2006-Jun
A Bill to create a Commissioner for Older People in Wales was given a second reading.
Source: Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill [HL], Wales Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 15 June 2006, columns 921-960, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Wales Office press release | HOC brief | Hansard
Date: 2006-Jun
An audit report said that the National Health Service in Wales had made considerable progress in reducing long waiting times and in tackling their causes strategically.
Source: NHS Waiting Times: Follow-up report, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report | WAO press release | NHS Wales press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A survey found that carers in Wales had poorer health than non-carers.
Source: Welsh Health Survey 2003/04: Health of Carers, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5050)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report set out the principles which ought to shape and inform the future of the National Health Service in Wales. It opposed the use of the private finance initiative (PFI) in the NHS. There should be no increase in input from the private sector in the delivery of NHS services in Wales.
Source: Informing NHS Recovery, British Medical Association Cymru/Wales (029 2047 4646)
Links: Report | BMA press release
Date: 2006-Jun
An independent review of children's policies in Wales identified gaps and inconsistencies in services offered to vulnerable children. It praised many initiatives, but said better national and local co-ordination was needed. Many children's services were "sound", but were delivered in an "uneven and unsustainable" way.
Source: Keeping Us Safe, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Links: Report | WLGA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-May
An article examined the extent of, and reasons for, policy differentiation following devolution and in Wales in particular. It focused on the development of health policy.
Source: Michael Sullivan, 'Wales, devolution and health policy: policy experimentation and differentiation to improve health', Contemporary Wales, Volume 17 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined agency policy in relation to children's participation in the child protection process, based on a study in Wales. It found a "total lack" of children's input into service planning for child protection services.
Source: Robert Sanders and Sam Mace, 'Agency policy and the participation of children and young people in the child protection process', Child Abuse Review, Volume 15 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
An audit report said that the National Health Service in Wales was facing mounting financial problems, despite improvements in financial controls.
Source: Is the National Health Service in Wales Managing within its Available Financial Resources?, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report | WAO press release | NHS Wales press release | BMA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Apr
An audit report was published on the accounts of the National Health Service in Wales for 2003-04.
Source: The Finances of NHS Wales 2005, Wales Audit Office (029 2026 0260)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Mar
The Welsh Assembly government published a 'national service framework' for older people.
Source: National Service Framework for Older People in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 3454)
Links: Framework | Summary | Framework (Welsh) | Summary (Welsh)
Date: 2006-Mar
The Welsh Assembly government announced that free personal care would not be provided for disabled people in Wales, despite a pledge at the 2003 Assembly election. It blamed legal issues over definitions of 'free' and 'disabled', and expressed concern over cost escalation.
Source: BBC report, 15 February 2006
Links: BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2006-Feb
A report examined issues relating to a policy (contained in the Welsh Labour Party 2003 election manifesto) of providing free home care for disabled people in Wales. Estimated costs were around 58 million in 2005, rising to 75 million by 2015.
Source: David Bell, Estimating the Cost of Free Home Care for Disabled People in Wales, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Date: 2006-Feb
The social care inspectorate in Wales said that in 2004-05 it had found improvements in reducing delayed transfers of care from hospital, many examples of new services designed to promote independence and social inclusion, and progress in arrangements to protect vulnerable adults. But in children s services there were wide variations in performance between authorities, and all authorities had faced pressures of increasing demands on their services.
Source: Social Services in Wales 2004-2005, Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (029 2082 5655)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
