Welsh government unveils NHS overhaul

A five-year plan to improve public health services in Wales has been published under the name Together for Health.

Unveiled by health minister Lesley Griffiths, the policy document sets out a number of commitments based on meeting challenges to the NHS posed by the rising elderly population, health inequalities and staffing pressures.

Some specialist services for complex conditions will be centralised and the government will aim to see more patients being treated at home.

Ms Griffiths said there a need to centralise services where it can be "clinically justified" in order to ensure high standards of care.

"The right local hospital and community services will be put in place to enable patients to continue their recovery closer to home," she added.

New targets for the treatment of cancer, heart disease and strokes will be published within six months by the Welsh government.

The British Medical Association's Welsh secretary Dr Richard Lewis welcomed the issues explored by the plan, but told Wales Online the government must now show "action to address them".