What Wales wants: Llais publishes the people’s health and social care priorities for the next Government.

Llais, the independent statutory body representing people who use health and social care services in Wales, has today published 12 evidence-based reforms for the next Welsh Government, drawn from engagement with tens of thousands of people across Wales. 

 The recommendations, ranging from legislative changes to investment priorities and system reforms, reflect what people consistently said would make the biggest difference to their experience of health and social care. 

 People told Llais they are frustrated by issues like long waits for GP appointments and care assessments, overstretched emergency departments, and delays in mental health services and hospital discharge. While sustained work is already underway on these acute pressures, this manifesto focuses on underlying system changes that would prevent problems from escalating and make services work better in the long term. 

Key proposals include a statutory right to respite care for unpaid carers, making 'What matters to you' conversations mandatory in every NHS care plan, and extending Llais advocacy to children and young people in social care. The manifesto also calls for targeted investment in communities with the poorest health outcomes, better transport solutions, and a joint health and social care complaints process. 

Alyson Thomas, Chief Executive of Llais, said:  

"We've listened to tens of thousands of people across Wales. They've been clear about what isn't working and what needs to change. These 12 reforms respond to what they've told us, our role is to ensure those voices are heard by decision-makers." 

 Professor Medwin Hughes, Chair of Llais, said: 

 "People have told us they need more than promises; they need to see real change in how services work. The incoming administration has a genuine opportunity to respond to what communities are saying. These reforms are grounded in lived experience, they are practical, and deliverable." 

The recommendations are grouped under four themes: equity and access, prevention and early intervention, person-centred care, and integration of services. 

Llais operates independently of Welsh Government and does not endorse political parties or candidates. The organisation will be engaging with all parties ahead of the 2026 election to discuss how these recommendations could be delivered. 

The full manifesto: The People’s Priorities – Senedd 2026 is available here.

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Notes to editors: 

1. Llais is the independent statutory body established under the Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020 to represent people who use health and social care services in Wales.
2. Llais engaged with over 50,000 people across Wales since it was established, and over 4,000 people specifically on the 'We Want' project that informed this manifesto.
3. The 12 recommendations include:

• Targeted investment in communities with poorest health outcomes
• Better transport solutions with joint health/local authority planning
• Extending Llais advocacy to all children and young people in social care
• Increased primary care capacity
• Statutory right to respite care for unpaid carers
• Protected funding for community prevention services
• Mandatory 'What matters to you' conversations in NHS care plans
• Active communication of all test results within two weeks
• Strengthened Welsh language provision with clear targets
• Removing barriers to integration via shared digital systems
• Single person-centred complaints process for health and social care
• Guaranteed continuity for young people transitioning to adult services 
   

1. Key context:

• People in Wales' poorest areas spend about 20 years less in good health than those in affluent areas
• The most affluent GP practices have more GPs and nurses per patient than more deprived communities
• Wales has approximately 310,000 unpaid carers 

For more information about the work of Llais, visit www.llaiswales.org or contact 02920 235558.