NHS Wales Continues To Provide World-Class Care

NHS Wales can boast of many examples of world-beating services but where things could be better, staff are working tirelessly to make improvements, said Chief Executive Dr Andrew Goodall as he launches the second Annual Quality Statement for NHS Wales today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Annual Quality Statement for NHS Wales 2015 is an overview of all the work going on within NHS organisations to improve the quality of care in NHS Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dr Goodall said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our health service treats people on a vast scale. Every year, there are 18 million contacts in primary care, half a million ambulance calls and three quarters of a million hospital admissions. One million people attend A&E, 78 million prescriptions are issued and three million outpatient appointments take place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m pleased that the recent UK report from the highly-respected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), found we prioritise high-quality and patient-centred care. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are working hard to keep patients safe. Tackling Sepsis has been one of our major patient safety improvement areas in recent years. It’s a time-critical medical emergency which can be life threatening and now 500 fewer people a year are dying in Wales thanks to new screening tools and new and innovative ways of providing prompt care. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are providing world-class treatment to more people who need it. New cutting-edge Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy at Velindre, which delivers more precise treatment and minimises damage to healthy tissue, has treated 25% more patients than originally planned. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“NHS Wales staff are working to help people to live healthy lives for longer and some of our innovations are being picked up elsewhere in the UK. Public Health England and the Ministry of Defence have promoted the One Drink One Click app, developed by Public Health Wales and Alcohol Concern Cymru, which helps people to monitor their consumption. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The NHS continues to increase and improve life expectancy which of course increases demand for our services. We operate a country-wide approach to quality improvement – nearly 20% of our staff have been trained in quality improvement methods. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Despite the challenges posed by increasing demand for our services, we remain fully committed to providing safe, compassionate care, focused on the individual and the core principles the NHS stands for.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​