First Minister Carwyn Jones announced the publication of “Prosperity for All”, an overarching, national strategy to delivering key Welsh Government priorities.
Building on the commitments in the Programme for Government, the strategy is “designed to drive integration and collaboration across the Welsh public sector, and put people at the heart of improved service delivery”. The four headline themes of the original strategy publication “Taking Wales Forward” are reiterated (Prosperous and Secure, Healthy and Active, Ambitious and Learning, and United and Connected), and it notes five “cross cutting” areas which have been identified as priorities for the remainder of the Assembly term (until May 2021):
- early years;
- housing;
- social care;
- mental health;
- and skills.
Within the Healthy and Active section, it notes that the three objectives are:
- Delivering quality health and care services,
- promoting health and well-being,
- building better communities and better environments.
The document also outlines commitments to:
- Support and encourage a substantial increase in people’s physical activity, adopting a collaborative approach from all agencies involved in the promotion of healthier lifestyles, and drawing on Wales’ significant natural resources.
- Develop innovative, community approaches to encouraging more active lifestyles and improving nutrition through the Well-being Bond.
- Deliver an integrated public transport network which supports our aim to enable people to travel more actively, by combining different types of transport with walking and cycling.
- Introduce a step-change in public health campaign work, with measurable outcomes and targets, focusing on avoidable diseases, and building awareness of the positive benefits to people of healthier lifestyles.
- Work to tackle health inequalities both in terms of individual well-being and access to services.
Further detail is required on the plans underpinning the delivery of these commitments. The WSA understands that further information on “Prosperous and Secure” will be published in the Autumn in the form of an economic statement. With the Minister for Public Health and Social Services due to make a Policy Statement on sport on October 3rd, it is likely that this will give some clarity regarding the publication of a physical activity plan.
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