The Council of Deans of Health Wales and Council of Deans of Health Scotland have written to each of the major political parties in both nations ahead of the 2026 devolved elections.

To support this work we have also recorded a podcast with Professor Susan Dawkes and Dr Liz Mason, the convenors of CoDH Scotland and CoDH Wales, respectively.

The letter composed by members in CoDH Wales was sent to Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, Wales Green Party, Welsh Conservative Party, Welsh Labour Party and Welsh Liberal Democrats. It sets out the following key priorities for members from an incoming government at Cardiff Bay:

• Develop a competitive funding model for healthcare education
• Strengthen student recruitment, retention and workforce planning
• Prioritise academic careers and Welsh language development
• Enhance placement experiences

CoDH Scotland members sent their letter to Reform UK, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Scottish Greens, Scottish National Party, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Their key priorities for Holyrood after May are:

• Secure financial sustainability for universities
• Reverse declining student recruitment
• Educator workforce sustainability
• Driving research and innovation

All of these parties have been invited to send a statement to our members to share their perspectives and commitments as well as support our manifesto analysis for the major parties running in Scotland and Wales.

The Council is proud to work with our members in Scotland and Wales to set out key issues for health education in the run-up to these crucial elections.

Decisions made at Holyrood and Cardiff Bay have a huge impact on our members who educate the nurses, midwives and allied health professionals needed by Scotland and Wales. These letters clearly set out their priorities and I am grateful for how active our members have been in shaping them.

Whatever the election results, we will build on our existing strong partnerships with the governments and key stakeholders in the devolved nations across the UK to deliver for our members and the people of Scotland and Wales.

Ed Hughes, CEO of the Council of Deans of Health