First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services top the bill for Bevan Commission conference

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Programme announced for landmark event celebrating 70 years of the NHS and 10 years of the Bevan Commission, Wales’ premier health think tank

The Bevan Commission, hosted and supported by Swansea University, has announced that the Welsh Government’s First Minister, Carwyn Jones, and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething, will both speak at the Bevan Commission International Conference 2018, taking place next month at the Celtic Manor, Newport.

300 x 300It is expected that Carwyn Jones will reflect on the progress of health and care in Wales under his leadership, ahead of stepping down from the First Minister role in autumn, and will share his personal vision for a healthier Wales in the future.

Vaughan Gething will discuss the Welsh Government’s response to the Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care which sets out a 10-year vision for a more seamless and sustainable health and social care system in Wales.

First Minister, Carwyn Jones AM, said: “Since before its foundation 70 years ago, Wales has played an important part in the history of the NHS. As we celebrate this much-loved institution, this conference is an opportunity to look back at how Wales has shaped the modern NHS. It will also be an opportunity to share the Welsh Government’s vision for the health and social care in the future.”

300 x 300Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething AM, said: “The 70th birthday of the NHS is an opportunity for us to celebrate the much-cherished principle of providing healthcare for all, free at the point of delivery. It is also an opportunity to thank all those dedicated staff who have made the service what it is today. I recently announced the Welsh Government’s long term plan for the future of health and social care, A Healthier Wales. I look forward to discussing how this strategy can ensure the NHS and social care, by being aligned much more closely, can deliver sustainable high-quality care into the future.”

Sir Mansel Aylward, Chair of the Bevan Commission, said: “It is a great honour for the Bevan Commission to welcome both the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to our International Conference to celebrate 70 years of the NHS and 10 years of the Bevan Commission. The Bevan Commission has a strong track record in advising leaders in Welsh Government, NHS Wales and beyond and translating good thinking into action on the frontline of health and care. It is a testament to this track record that we will be joined by two of the most influential politicians in Wales who will share their perspectives on the future of health and care. Their contributions make this event unmissable and we cannot wait to hear what they have to say.”

Helen Howson, Director of the Bevan Commission, said: “The Bevan Commission was founded in 2008 and the last ten years have seen radical shifts in health and care policy but have equally demonstrated that there is more to be done to improve the wellbeing our communities in Wales. This conference, with its contributions from the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, will provide an important platform to explore how we might put into practice a more prudent and social model for health and care and look to future innovations which can strengthen the NHS in Wales.”

The First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services will be joined in the programme by a number of internationally acclaimed leaders in health, government and industry, including Sir Terry Matthews, Global Technology Entrepreneur and Founder of the Celtic Manor Resort, Lt Gen Louis Lillywhite, Sir Don Berwick, Baroness Ilora Finlay and Dame Carol Black. Other speakers include Andrew Goodall, Chief Executive of NHS Wales, Jennifer Dixon, Chief Executive of the Health Foundation and Professor Chris Ham, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund.

The conference will explore the origins of Aneurin Bevan’s NHS, compare and contrast devolved health systems across the UK and address the growing challenges of a modern medical workforce. Innovative health collaborations and emerging technologies will also take centre stage as the conference looks to the future of health and care in the 70th year of the NHS.

The full programme can be found at http://www.bevancommission.org/en/conferences-and-events?id=21

Over 300 delegates from health boards and trusts, universities, charities, commercial businesses, government and local government are expected to attend the landmark event on 3 and 4 July 2018. 

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