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Wales

Welsh Targets

For further information visit: Welsh Assembly Government website: Health Gain targets

The main public health bodies in Wales

National Public Health Service for Wales

The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) was created in April 2003 to improve the delivery of public health services to the people of Wales. It provides a full range of public health services at a local level supported by the resources and specialist advice of a national organisation.

The NPHS engages with a wide range of organisations both locally and nationally. It seeks to harness and promote the efforts of individuals working in NHS and non-NHS settings to improve the health of the population.

Wales Centre for Health

The Wales Centre for Health is an independent and impartial body working to improve public health and reduce health inequalities in Wales. The centre acts as a focal point for multi-disciplinary advice, debate and professional development. It aims:

  • to develop and maintain arrangements for making information about matters related to the protection and improvement of health available to the public in Wales;
  • to undertake and commission research into such matters; and
  • to contribute to the provision and development of training.

The centre is establishing networks and liaising and engaging with relevant professions and organisations to improve health and well-being.

The Wales Centre for Health also:

  • monitors health and disease trends and highlights areas for action;
  • identifies gaps in health information;
  • provides a forum for multi-disciplinary advice on health hazards;
  • carries out risk assessments of threats to health;
  • advises on methods for health, and health inequality impact assessments;
  • draws together information from different sources on new ways to improve health;
  • disseminates research and other evidence to support decision-making;
  • supports multi-professional training in sustainable health;
  • caries out projects to highlight particular health issues;
  • liaises with national and international multi-professional groups;
  • evaluates progress by local agencies in improving health and cutting inequality; and looks ahead to give early warning of future public health problems.

Coronary heart disease in Wales

The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease was published by the National Assembly for Wales in July 2001. It outlined five evidence based standards, which are described below.

Standard One:
Development, implementation and monitoring of programmes to address tobacco use, diet and physical activity, targeted at the most disadvantaged communities in Wales;

Standard Two:
Everyone at high risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease and all those diagnosed as having the disease should have access to a multi-factorial risk assessment and be offered an appropriate treatment plan;

Standard Three:
Everyone with an acute episode of Coronary Heart Disease should receive high quality evidence based care;

Standard Four:
Everyone with heart failure should be recognised and offered appropriate evidence based care;

Standard Five:
Everyone diagnosed with a trial fibrillation should be offered appropriate evidence based care.

Following the publication of the National Service Framework, Local Health Boards and NHS Trusts in Wales were required to identify a CHD lead clinician, given the task of taking forward the implementation plan on behalf of their organisation.

However, Improving Health in Wales recognised that many services need to be developed across organisational boundaries in order to deliver co-coordinated care for patients.

The Cardiac Networks of Wales were established in September 2002 to take forward the implementation of the NSF for Coronary Heart Disease. Three Regional Cardiac Networks and a National Co-ordinating Group were formed.

Welsh smoking ban

The smoke-free legislation was introduced in Wales on 02 April 2007.  This means that it is illegal to smoke in the majority of indoor places.

The aim of the smoking law is to protect workers and the general public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.

Wales was the second UK region to adopt the smoking ban. A similar ban is in effect in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

To find out more about the ban visit Smoking Ban Wales.

Useful links