Healthcare staff in Wales under 'sustained pressure' with risks to patients

HEALTHCARE in Wales is under “sustained pressure” where risks to patient safety persist and improvement is not always sustained, a new report being published today says, while praising staff for delivering “good care in difficult conditions”.

- RUTH MOSALSKI Political editor

Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) is responsible for inspecting NHS services as well as independent providers.

In its annual report, covering 2024-25, it says its independent assessment is that its inspections of GP practices, emergency departments, maternity units and mental health services reveal a system “stretched to its limits”.

“Staff are working under immense strain, often in environments that are not fit for purpose. The report identifies recurring risks and a concerning pattern of previously identified issues resurfacing,” they say.

In terms of emergency departments they say patients wait in corridors, maternity units are compromised by staffing gaps and describe mental health wards with unresolved safety risks.

These, they say, “are not isolated incidents, they are symptoms of wider systemic strain”.

It says while Welsh Government measures are targeting these issues “patient demand continues to be high with this often impacting on patient experience”.

“While services often respond positively to scrutiny action taken is not always sustained,” it says.

In terms of mental health the report says there are “longstanding and significant challenges”.

Of its inspections of mental health services 36% led to immediate assurance or noncompliance processes.