Rise in chronic illnesses pose threat to Welsh NHS, says report

Dr Emma Rees, a specialist on chronic conditions at Swansea University, said there are already good examples of specialist nurses working alongside other healthcare professionals to provide a more holistic support for patients.

“We need more of those other professionals who are appropriately trained – because it’s quite patchy,” she said, adding that extra training is also needed.

She added that more research is also needed into “which services are effective and how effective they are”.

“Equally important is that if something is not working or not adding value, that we have got the evidence to say we should stop doing this and do something else instead,” she said.

Chair of the health and social care committee, Russell George MS, said: “While much attention has been concentrated on NHS acute care, there has been far less focus on people who rely on regular access to healthcare to manage one or more chronic conditions.

“We have made a number of recommendations to improve the situation, but ultimately, we are looking to Welsh Government to take immediate, decisive action to protect the health of the nation and the future of the NHS.”