Health outcomes and experience in the healthcare system – Government action

UK Government actions:

• In August 2022, the UK Government published its Women’s Health Strategy for England, detailing ambitions for improvements in women and girls’ health over the next 10 years.
• In June 2022, the UK COVID-19 Inquiry was established. Its terms of reference state that it will examine, consider and report on the preparations for, and response to, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• In April 2022, the Health and Care Act, which focuses on the integration of health and social care, received Royal Assent. Among other changes, it establishes the Health Services Safety Investigations Body as a fully independent public body to drive systematic improvements in patient safety in England.
• In March 2022, the UK Government published its response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED), committing to address the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on ethnic minority groups.
• In February 2022, the UK Government established the Maternity Disparities Taskforce to explore inequalities in maternity care and identify how the UK Government can improve outcomes for women from ethnic minority groups.
• In October 2021, the UK Government launched the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, focused on improving health outcomes and tackling inequalities in England.
• In March 2021, the UK Government set out information about the mission of the new UK Health Security Agency, which replaced Public Health England.
• In March 2020, the NHS Long Term Plan Funding Act received Royal Assent, enshrining in law an extra £33.9 billion every year by 2024 for the NHS in England. This followed the 2018 announcement of a five-year funding settlement.
• In March 2019, the UK Government appointed a National LGBT Health Adviser to lead on improving the care lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people receive when accessing health services.
• In January 2019, the UK Government published the NHS Long Term Plan, which commits to addressing health inequalities and improving health outcomes across a range of clinical priorities.

Welsh Government actions: Healthcare is devolved to the Welsh Government.

• In April 2022, the Welsh Government published its programme for transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists in Wales.
• In March 2021, the Welsh Government set out its priorities and approach for the pandemic recovery period in Health and Social Care in Wales – COVID-19: Looking forward.
• In June 2020, the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020 received Royal Assent. Among other changes, the Act establishes a new Citizen Voice Body that will represent the views of the people of Wales on health and social care services. The Welsh Government aims to bring the full Act into force in spring 2023.
• In July 2019, the Welsh Government published a five-year vision for maternity care in Wales.
• In March 2019, the Welsh Government announced a £10 million investment to improve health outcomes.
• The Welsh Government has published several plans that include measures to reduce health inequalities for different groups, including the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan (2022), Enabling Gypsies, Roma and Travellers (2018), the Learning Disability Delivery and Implementation Plan (2022), and Refugee and Asylum Seeker Plan (2019).
• In 2018, the Welsh Government committed to investing a further £192 million in 2019/20 to implement the long-term plan for health and social care in Wales.
• In 2018, the Welsh Government published A Healthier Wales, a 10-year strategy for health and social care in Wales. The strategy focuses on integration, prevention, access to community-based health services and measurement of health and wellbeing outcomes.