Speaking in the Senedd this afternoon, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood, who has worked with several of the thirteen professional bodies representing Allied Health Professionals in Wales over many years, emphasised the “key role they have to play in improving the health and wellbeing of the population in Wales”.
In the Member Debate on Allied Health Professionals, Mr Isherwood, who in March attend the launch of Allied Health Professions Federation Cymru, spoke of the great work of the various professionals, and quoted the Allied Health Professions Federation Cymru Manifesto 2026 which states: ‘the vital contributions of Allied Health Professionals to population health and wellbeing are too often overlooked’.
He said:
“For too long, the Allied Health professions in Wales have provided a missed opportunity to reduce pressure in our hospitals and acute health services, to improve lives and make better use of resources.
“The Allied Health Professions, which make up 25% of the NHS Wales workforce, have a key role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of the population in Wales.
“The timely mission of the newly formed Allied Health Professions Federation Cymru is to provide collective leadership and representation to influence national policy and guidance at a strategic level.”
He added:
“For what is now decades, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists has been working to help politicians here understand the essential role occupational therapy plays in improving people's health and quality of life. Throughout Wales, their Occupational Therapists play a vital role in delivering innovative services, but could do so much more.
“For many years, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has been highlighting the urgent support needed by the many people waiting longer for orthopaedic surgery, including pain courses to support people waiting longer for orthopaedic surgery for hip and knee interventions, and rehab space to allow the full range of rehab services to be available across Wales.”
Mr Isherwood also spoke of the Senedd Debate he led in January on Speech and Language Therapy, “working with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and calling on the Labour Welsh Government to establish a clear, sustainable funding model for speech and language therapists, improve workforce planning for the profession, and work with the UK Government to mandate the presence of a speech and language therapist in all youth justice teams as a statutory requirement”.
He said:
“Although Speech and language therapists play a vital role in helping people with additional communication needs, Wales has fewer speech and language therapists per head than anywhere else in the UK.
“To make matters worse, the Youth Justice Board reports that 71% of sentenced children have speech, language, or communication difficulties, showing just how important these services are.
“It was therefore disappointing that Labour voted against our motion.
Mr Isherwood also spoke of Public Health Wales predictions that, by 2035/6 as many as 1 in 11 adults in Wales will be living with diabetes, 260,000 people, and that a significant proportion of these will need access to podiatric care to prevent complications of the foot and lower limb.
He said:
“The Royal College of Podiatry is therefore calling on the Welsh Government: to commit to a workforce plan for Allied Health Professions in Wales, to expand student places, and to commit to degree level apprenticeships in Wales for Allied Health Professions, as exists in England.”
He added:
“As the Allied Health Professions Federation Cymru Manifesto 2026 states: ‘the vital contributions of Allied Health Professionals to population health and wellbeing are too often overlooked.
‘As demand for healthcare services continues to grow, the need for them has never been more urgent.
‘Without a coordinated National Workforce Strategy, these professions risk becoming unsustainable, leading to unsafe staffing levels and preventable harm to patients’.”