CSP makes case for rehab funding at Welsh Labour conference

Among the activities at the conference, the CSP held a joint ‘Right to Rehab’ briefing with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, attended by Ruth Jones MP, who is a former physiotherapist and the newly elected chair of the Welsh affairs select committee in the UK parliament.      

Calum Higgins, the CSP's public affairs and policy manager for Wales, and Cat Chin, the CSP's professional adviser for Wales, also met Jeremy Miles MS, the new cabinet secretary for health and social care.  They took the opportunity to raise the need for waiting times funding to include rehab provision.  This followed the funding announcement of the conference made by both the first minister and cabinet secretary.

On a successful conference attendance, Calum said:  'This activity at Welsh Labour conference is vital in influencing the party in government in Wales, to make the case for more rehab and workforce funding. Together with our partners in the Right to Rehab campaign we spoke to a range of stakeholders and politicians to highlight the profession and rehab services. The next set of conferences are in the spring when we will attend all the party conference once again, at a time when they will be writing up manifestos for the 2026 elections.'

In a statement to the conference, Jeremy Miles stated: 'On 24 October, I announced £28m to support health boards to reduce the longest waiting times, increase outpatient appointments and speed up diagnostic testing.

'I am today increasing that funding to £50m, which will be available immediately to health boards to increase capacity in the NHS in Wales and to commission activity from the private sector, where available. The focus will continue to be on reducing the longest waits for treatment, on cutting waiting times for diagnostic tests and increasing capacity in outpatient departments.'

Calum and Cat will be writing to the cabinet secretary to raise the need for further investment in rehab services as part of the solution to waiting times issues, and to ensure it’s planned for in any increase of post-surgery demand.