With the next Senedd election approaching, the Council of Deans of Health has analysed the manifestos of six major political parties in Wales: Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, Wales Green Party, Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour and Welsh Liberal Democrats. In this blog, Megan Isherwood, Senior Policy Officer, explores areas of alignment and divergence across key policy themes, highlighting those most likely to impact our member institutions and the wider healthcare education sector. While ideological differences obviously exist, there is considerable overlap in headline priorities across the parties, reflecting shared recognition of the pressures facing Wales’ health and education sectors.
These commitments sit alongside a significant constitutional change in Wales, with a new voting system that will increase Senedd membership from 60 to 96 Members and a move to proportional representation which is a further factor in the results of this closely fought contest.
Health
Health is a central priority across all manifestos, with NHS waiting times identified as the most pressing challenge. Around one in five people in Wales is on an NHS waiting list, and while all parties share the ambition to reduce these waits, they differ in their proposed solutions. Welsh Labour focuses on increasing capacity within the existing system, pledging a 48-hour primary care guarantee for urgent needs and an end to long waits for neurodevelopmental assessments. Plaid Cymru proposes a targeted plan, including recruiting more GPs and investing in digital services, while both Plaid and Reform UK both support expanding surgical hubs to speed up planned treatment.
Pressure on hospital capacity, including the persistence of corridor care also features prominently. The Welsh Conservatives adopt a ‘fix Wales’ framing and declare a health emergency, committing to review and increase hospital bed capacity. Plaid Cymru similarly promises to increase the number of hospital beds, while Welsh Labour propose a capital investment approach, pledging £4 billion for new and upgraded hospitals. The Wales Green Party proposes a pause to hospital bed reductions alongside transparent corridor care reporting, while the Welsh Liberal Democrats focus on relieving pressure through social care, proposing thousands of new nursing‑care placements to help free up hospital beds. Reform UK frames the issue as a delivery failure, promising an emergency plan to expand planned‑care capacity and restore safe emergency department standards.
There is strong consensus across the parties on the need to recruit and train the NHS workforce, with all parties committing to strategic workforce planning. Likewise, they focus on improving retention through flexible working, better conditions and clearer progression. Plaid Cymru and Reform UK support nursing degree apprenticeships to widen access and grow the workforce, while the Welsh Conservatives propose refunding tuition fees for clinicians who commit to working in the Welsh NHS for five years.
Education and research
Most parties support expanding participation in tertiary education and growing degree apprenticeships, but differ on higher education funding, research policy and the role of universities. Welsh Labour commits to not introducing a levy on the tuition fees paid by international students, proposes a Wales‑only student loan repayment plan, and supports a lifelong retraining guarantee to enable career changes later in life. Plaid Cymru focuses on structural reform, calling for an independent review of higher education and its funding, and for Wales’ share of UK research funding to be devolved to better reflect national priorities. The Welsh Conservatives take a more market‑driven approach, proposing lower interest rates on student debt, reduced funding for courses with poorer employment outcomes, and expansion of intensive two‑year degrees. Both the Conservatives and Reform UK stress the need for value for money, and strong employment outcomes from university courses. In contrast, the Wales Green Party prioritises access and participation, setting a target for 40% of young people to attend university, while the Welsh Liberal Democrats emphasise widening access for under‑represented groups.
Other key themes
Other overarching themes include investment in digitisation and artificial intelligence (AI), with Plaid Cymru and Reform UK both committing to greater digital transformation within the NHS, such as through online appointments and electronic patient records.
All parties prioritise strengthening the Welsh language across work, education and public services. Plaid Cymru sets out the most ambitious plans, including a target for at least 50% of pupils to be in Welsh-medium education by 2025. Reform UK on the other hand, rejects fixed targets in favour of voluntary uptake and improved teaching quality.
There is alignment across some of the parties on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), with Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Wales Green Party supporting the retention of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan. The Welsh Conservatives focus on tackling inequality and improving disability rights, while Reform UK proposes ending EDI officer roles in the Welsh public sector. Welsh Labour also commits to reviewing non‑emergency patient transport and requiring health boards to improve access to hospital sites.
Next steps
The Council has written to each of the major political parties, setting out our key priorities. We look forward to engaging constructively with any government formed at Cardiff Bay after the election. Whatever the political make-up of the Senedd, it is essential that a Welsh Government takes a truly joined-up approach to health and education policy, recognising the central role of healthcare higher education in sustaining the NHS workforce.
We stand ready to work with all parties to ensure that the voice of our members is heard and that strategic decisions are informed by evidence, collaboration, and a shared commitment to the health and wellbeing of people across Wales.
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