Image Source: Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board
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Private Delivery of NHS Services
Is this devolved to Wales?
Devolved
The necessary powers are not reserved to the UK Parliament in Schedule 7A of the Government of Wales Act 2006.
Shared Powers
Insert a specific explanation of the powers situation for this issue here.
Not Devolved
The powers over this are reserved to the UK Parliament in Schedule 7A of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (Specific Section/Number/Clause).
While the NHS in Wales is publicly owned and free to use at the point of delivery, some health boards have entered into contracts with private companies (“outsourcing”) to provide specialist healthcare services. One example is the delivery of the Llantrisant Health Park1 (pictured), which was arranged by the previous Labour-led Welsh Government.
The Health Park will serve as at least one of Plaid Cymru’s promised 10 nationwide diagnostic and surgical hubs.
On October 21st 2026, the Senedd agreed a motion for a proposed member’s/backbench law (“NHS First Bill”) tabled by Dr Gwyn Williams, which proposed:
- A presumption in favour of commissioning services to cut waiting lists from within the NHS instead of the private sector.
- Health boards should plan and cost in-house delivery before considering private contracts.
- Clinical leaders (i.e. senior consultants) can veto private contracts if they are deemed to be clinically unsafe.
- Require health boards to publish data on their use of the private sector.
Health boards may outsource contracts to private providers to increase treatment capacity and cut waiting times and waiting lists.
Private providers may also be the only means to deliver more innovative or very advanced diagnostics and treatment (i.e. proton beam therapy to treat cancer).
The negative side of outsourcing healthcare is that it could be considered a form of “privatisation by stealth”. There’s very little transparency about private contracts, and every service that’s outsourced will slowly limit what the NHS itself can offer patients. This could end up costing the NHS more in the long run for the sake of short-term savings.
One example would be staff hired from private recruitment agencies, as they are often far more expensive to employ than permanently contracted NHS staff2.
It’s not really relevant in this case.
Charts (if needed)
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Costs & Economic Impact
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Cheese
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Explanation
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Who has raised this at the Senedd?
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS
Health & Care Minister
Dr Gwyn Williams MS
Backbencher
Dr Safa Elhassan MS
Backbencher
Zaynub Akbar MS
Chair: Equality & Social Justice
Ben McKenna MS
Shadow Health Minister
Gareth Beer MS
Backbencher
Shav Taj MS
Backbencher
Mike Hedges MS
Backbencher
Natasha Asghar MS
Backbencher
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS
Health & Care Minister
Dr Gwyn Williams MS
Backbencher
Dr Safa Elhassan MS
Backbencher
Zaynub Akbar MS
Chair: Equality & Social Justice
Ben McKenna MS
Shadow Health Minister
Gareth Beer MS
Backbencher
Shav Taj MS
Backbencher
Mike Hedges MS
Backbencher
Natasha Asghar MS
Backbencher
What are the party positions on this?
- Supports NHS-first
- Opposed
- Neutral/No Opinion
Plaid Cymru backbenchers back the principle of NHS-first delivery, based on personal experience and opposition to creating a two-tier system of healthcare.
- Supports
- Opposed
- Supports private involvement in NHS delivery
Reform UK support the principle of “NHS first” but want greater transparency over private contracts and don’t want private providers ruled out entirely.
- Supports
- Opposed
- Mixed Views
Labour MSs said that the saw the pragmatic benefits of using private health capacity, but were concerned that this could have unintended consequences.
- Supports
- Opposed
- Supports private involvement in NHS delivery
The Conservatives are not against the use of private providers in the NHS, particularly to increase treatment and diagnostic space.
- Supports NHS-first (in principle)
- Opposed
- Neutral/No Opinion
Green MSs haven’t said anything on this but supported Dr. Gwyn Williams’ motion.
- Supports NHS-first (in principle)
- Opposed
- Neutral/No Opinion
Jane Dodds hasn’t said anything on this, but supported Dr. Gwyn Williams’ motion.
Who is responsible?
Mabon ap Gwynfor MS
Health & Care Minister
What have ministers said?
What's being done about this?
In previous terms, Plaid Cymru have been outspoken opponents of privatisation of the NHS, whether outright or “by stealth”.
While the Programme of Government commits to maintaining the NHS as a “free at the point of use” service, it makes no mention of private companies’ involvement in the delivery of NHS services.
The Health Minister told Senedd Members that he backs the principle of NHS-led delivery of services, but didn’t believe this needs a specific law as existing laws already support what he described as “flexible commissioning”. This could be interpreted as not being strictly against private involvement if it helps deliver core policy objectives, such as cutting waiting lists.
There are currently no plans for a law on this.
As the proposal put forward would be a Member’s Bill, it’s highly unlikely to ever make it to the Senedd floor, let alone become law.
It’s an ongoing process.
What have the Senedd's Committees said?
Nothing has been discussed yet.
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Relevant Votes
| Date | Motion Number | Subject | Tabled As | Binding Vote? | Votes For | Abstentions | Votes Against | Absent/No Vote | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21/10/26 | NDM9277 | Bill Proposal – Presume in favour of NHS-led delivery over private |  | No | 64 | 24 | 2 | 4 | AGREED |
Further Reading
- Nation.Cymru (28th July 2026). “Row as it emerges that new NHS facility will be run by a private company“
- Wales Online (18th February 2025). “The NHS in Wales spent £262m on ‘expensive’ agency staff to plug the gaps“
