The new briefing – For better patient care: improving integration between primary and secondary care in Wales – sets out the findings and recommendations from a joint national workshop held by RCP Cymru Wales and RCGP Cymru Wales in July 2025.
RCP clinical vice president and vice president for Wales, Dr Hilary Williams said: ‘Patients get the best care when the NHS works as one team. This report shows that clinicians in Wales are already leading innovative, integrated services – but we need national support to spread what works, invest in digital tools that join the system up and give doctors protected time to train and lead together across traditional boundaries.'
Together, the royal colleges which represent around 3,000 doctors in Wales, called for
- expanded foundation placements in general practice and more primary care exposure during specialty training in secondary care
- sustained funding for integrated roles and fellowships that cross boundaries, including a Wales-wide GP/consultant exchange scheme
- urgent action from Digital Health and Care Wales, the Welsh Government and NHS Wales to deliver interoperable IT systems and ensure new AI tools work safely across primary and secondary care
- a shift away from short-term pilots towards long-term, stable funding for proven integrated services.
The Welsh Government said: ‘Creating connected IT systems is key to the future of health and social care as is the safe, ethical use of AI. We're working to develop standards that enable information to be shared easily, helping the workforce access what they need quickly.
‘We are also considering an education and training plan for 2026-27, produced by Health Education and Improvement Wales, and support developing flexible educational opportunities across the workforce.'
