3 July 2025
On 25 June 2025, a debate was held in the Senedd on the Allied Health Professions workforce. This was the first Senedd debate on the AHP workforce for fifteen years.
The debate highlighted AHPs’ central role within prevention and offering care closer to home. It also focussed on AHPF Cymru’s key workforce calls for the Senedd elections 2026, namely;
- Long-term workforce planning for AHPs and a national workforce strategy.
- Expanded access into the AHP professions through exploring routes such as degree apprenticeships.
- Allowing people the right to access AHP services as part of their treatment pathway.
RCSLT Wales welcomed the cross party-contributions to the debate from Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru and Welsh Conservatives Senedd Members (MSs) and the number of references to speech and language therapists and the work of RCSLT.
In his response to the debate, Jeremy Miles MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care described AHPs as ‘a crucial part of the NHS workforce’. He noted recent initiatives such as the recurring £5 million for AHP posts in the community and acknowledged there is more work to do in this space.
Caroline Walters, External Affairs Manager at RCSLT Wales and chair of AHPF Cymru, said, “AHPF Cymru hugely welcomes this debate and the opportunity to highlight the incredible role of AHPs, working from cradle to grave, to enable people to live the lives they want to live. It was particularly pleasing to hear AHPs described as the ‘cornerstone of the preventative agenda’. There is much work to do to truly maximise the contribution of AHPs across Wales. We look forward to building on the debate and continuing to push for progress on our key asks.”
Tabled by Mabon ap Gwynfor MS (the Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and social care) the 60-minute debate was supported by Jane Dodds Liberal Democrat MS, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and James Evans MS, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care for the Welsh Conservatives. Watch a recording of the debate.
This is the first Senedd debate on the AHP workforce for fifteen years and shows the benefit of AHP professional bodies working collaboratively as the Allied Health Professions Federation (AHPF) Cymru. AHPF Cymru was established in January 2025.
Dadl yn Senedd Cymru ar y Gweithlu Proffesiynau Perthynol i Iechyd
Ar 25 Mehefin, mi gynhaliwyd dadl yn Senedd Cymru ar y gweithlu Proffesiynau Perthynol i Iechyd. Hon yw’r ddadl gyntaf yn Senedd Cymru ar y gweithlu AHP am bymtheg mlynedd
Dangosodd y ddadl rôl ganolog AHP o fewn atal a chynnig gofal yn nes gartref. Roedd ganddo hefyd ffocws ar alwadau gweithlu allweddol AHPF Cymru ar gyfer etholiadau Senedd Cymru yn 2026, sef:
- Cynllunio gweithlu hirdymor ar gyfer AHP a strategaeth gweithlu cenedlaethol
- Ehangu mynediad i broffesiynau AHP drwy ymchwilio llwybrau tebyg i brentisiaethau gradd
- Rhoi hawl i bobl gael mynediad i wasanaethau AHP fel rhan o’u llwybr triniaeth.
Mae RCSLT Cymru yn croesawu cyfraniadau trawsbleidiol i’r ddadl gan Aelodau o’r Senedd Llafur Cymru, Plaid Cymru a’r Ceidwadwyr Cymreig a’r nifer o gyfeiriadau at therapyddion lleferydd ac iaith a gwaith y RCSLT.
Mewn ymateb i’r ddadl dywedodd Jeremy Miles AS, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol, fod AHP yn ‘rhan hanfodol o weithlu’r GIG’. Nododd gynlluniau diweddar tebyg i’r £5 miliwn cylchol ar gyfer swyddi AHP yn y gymuned a chydnabod fod mwy o waith i’w wneud yn y maes hwn.
Dywedodd Caroline Walters, Rheolwr Materion Allanol (Cymru) y RCSLT a chadeirydd AHPF Cymru:
“Mae AHPF Cymru yn croesawu’r ddadl hon yn fawr iawn a’r cyfle i roi sylw i rôl anhygoel AHP, gan weithio o’r crud i’r bedd, i alluogi pobl i fyw’r bywyd y maent eisiau ei fyw. Roedd yn neilltuol o dda eu clywed yn cael eu disgrifio fel ‘conglfaen yr agenda ataliol’. Mae llawer o waith i’w wneud i wirioneddol gynyddu cyfraniad AHP ledled Cymru. Edrychwn ymlaen at adeiladu ar y ddadl a pharhau i wthio am gynnydd ar ein gofynion allweddol.”
Mi gyflwynwyd y ddadl 60-munud gan Mabon ap Gwynfor AS (llefarydd Plaid Cymru ar iechyd a gofal cymdeithasol). Cefnogwyd y ddadl gan Jane Dodds AS, arweinydd Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru a James Evans AS, Ysgrifennydd Cabinet Cysgodol Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig. Gellir gweld y ddadl yma.
Hon yw’r ddadl gyntaf yn Senedd Cymru ar y gweithlu AHP am bymtheg mlynedd ac mae’n dangos y fantais i gyrff proffesiynol AHP gydweithio fel Ffederasiwn Proffesiynau Perthynol i Iechyd (AHPF) Cymru. Sefydlwyd APHF Cymru ym mis Ionawr 2025.
