The NHS and social care in Wales are getting extra support to prepare for winter pressures and households are getting support to stay warm.
The Welsh Government is today (Tuesday 7 October) setting out comprehensive plans before the challenges of winter arrive.
Vaccines have been bought centrally by the NHS for the first time to fight the predicted increase in flu cases this winter. The aim is to improve vaccination rates and protect more people. 99% of community pharmacies can now test and treat sore throats for free, without a doctor’s appointment, easing pressure on GPs.
The Welsh Government is investing £30m so that more people can receive care at home, helping them leave hospital sooner, with more than £1m in equipment and training for care homes to prevent falls among older people and reduce hospital admissions.
The Welsh Government is investing more than £30m this year in its Nest Warm Homes scheme to help lower-income families keep warm and escape cold, damp conditions. It is also investing £600,000 to support warm welcome spaces and £940,000 to support people struggling with food costs.
Following Storms Bert and Darragh in 2024, the Welsh Government has introduced comprehensive measures to prepare for winter, including investing £6m to improve the national Flood Warning Service. Natural Resources Wales’ ‘Be Flood Ready’ campaign is encouraging people to check to find out if their properties are at risk by using their postcode and signing up for free flood warnings.
First Minister Eluned Morgan said:
“Winter is a challenging time for people, especially the most vulnerable, and is a time when our public services already face their greatest pressures. We prepare for winter all-year round, so that the support people need is in place before the colder months arrive.
“We’ve seen that in the past month, Wales has moved from drought conditions to flooding, due to increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather. We made a commitment to improve flood protection to 45,000 homes this Senedd term – we are delivering on that promise thanks to record investment.
“Everyone deserves a warm home and we’re working to help people who are struggling with costs-of-living and paying their energy bills. We are investing more than £7bn between 2022 and 2026 to ease financial pressures on households, help maximise income and help keep more money in people’s pockets.
“We all have a part to play in supporting our communities this time of year. That could be by being vaccinated, using our NHS responsibly or just checking in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours regularly. Let’s all do what we can to look out for each other this winter.”
