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RCN Wales praises multi-million pound investment in primary care

Welsh government investment in primary care to develop community nursing services

The RCN in Wales has welcomed a £43 million investment from the Welsh government to improve the country’s primary care services.

RCN Wales director Tina Donnelly said the investment, which was announced this week, would go ‘some way in supporting the development of the general practice and community nursing services’.

The majority of patient care in Wales is provided by primary care services within local communities, and a large portion of the new investment will be split between health boards implementing local plans and 64 primary care clusters.

Nurses work with GPs and other health and social care professionals in the clusters to provide services for their communities, delivering care either in, or close to, people’s homes.

The Welsh government published a primary care plan in 2014, setting out details for improving primary care services.

Ms Donnelly said: ‘We welcome the investment into primary care services announced by the Welsh government. It is essential that health services in Wales develop and provide care that best meets the health needs of the population. This includes ensuring there are enough appropriately qualified nurses and healthcare support workers to provide nursing care in primary, community, acute and independent care sectors.

‘Nurses in these areas require the breadth and depth of the nursing care they provide to be acknowledged and supported through access to education, training and clinical supervision, to maximise their contribution to improving the health of the population in Wales.’