Written Statement - The Bevan Commission

The first meeting of the new and refreshed Bevan Commission is taking place today.

The Bevan Commission was set up in 2008 to ensure the NHS in Wales remains true to its founding principles as set out by Aneurin Bevan in 1948. Over the last six years, the Commission’s work has added significant value to the work of the Welsh Government and the NHS in Wales, including the development of the Bevan Commission principles and, more recently, the idea of prudent healthcare.

Earlier this year, I asked the Chair of the Commission, Professor Sir Mansel Aylward, to review its work programme and membership to ensure the Bevan Commission is in the best position to continue advising both the Welsh Government and the NHS in Wales about how:

• The health service can continue to respond to enduring austerity;
• Stay true to Aneurin Bevan’s founding principles;
• Adopt prudent healthcare putting Wales at the forefront of an international movement to secure greater value in the delivery of healthcare.  

Following an ‘expressions of interest’ process, I received Sir Mansel’s advice about the refreshed membership of the Commission and have appointed 22 new members to take forward its important work

I am delighted so many internationally-renowned experts, experienced leaders from the NHS in Wales and public representatives put their names forward and agreed to join the Commission. All share the same goal of wanting to improve health outcomes for people in Wales.  

The Bevan Commission has been set up to provide independent advice. Within the broad terms of reference set out above, it will determine its final work programme on an annual basis and publish it on its website.

I will write to the Chair at least once a year setting out the pieces of work I would like it to undertake on the Welsh Government’s behalf. Other proposals can be made to the Commission through its website or at the engagement events it will run throughout the year.

Bevan Commission members

• Nygaire Bevan - board member for the Care Council for Wales and great niece of Aneurin Bevan, the creator of NHS
• Professor Bim Bhowmick - Emeritus Consultant Clinician
• Dr Anthony Lawson Calland MBE - joint vice chair of the Health Research Authority Confidentiality Advice Group
• Professor Dame Carol Black - National Director for Health and Work, Department of Work and Pensions and Chair, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
• Sir Ian Carruthers OBE - Chief Executive, South West Strategic Health Authority
• Dr Clare Gerada - Chair of the Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners
• Mary Cowern - director, Arthritis Care Wales
• Ruth Dineen - co-director, Co-Production Wales
• Professor Trevor Jones - non‐executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Simbec Research
• Lt General Louis Lillywhite CB MBE MFOM MHIM FRCP (Glasg) FRCGP – former Surgeon General of the UK Armed Forces
• Ann Lloyd - former Director General health and social services in the Welsh Government and CEO NHS Wales
• Juliet Luporini - Director, Vice Chair, Business Improvement & Director Zana Ltd
• Professor Ewan MacDonald - founder of Healthy Working Lives Group
• Chris Martin – former Chairman of Hywel Dda University Health Board and the Welsh NHS Confederation
• Professor Sir Michael Marmott - Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity (Marmot Institute)
• Professor Andrew Morris - Professor of Medicine, Director of the Institute for Health Sciences and Informatics, Vice Principle, Data Science, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Professor Sir Anthony Newman-Taylor - President’s Envoy for Health, Imperial College and Director of Research and Development, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College
• Dr Helen Patterson - Chief Executive, Wrexham County Borough Council
• Professor Phil Routledge - Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Cardiff University School of Medicine
• Fran Targett - Director, Citizens Advice Cymru
• Sir Paul Williams - Non-Executive Director of Natural Resources Wales and Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Transitional Advisory Group
• John Wyn Owen - Chairman, University of Wales Institute

Bevan Commission members do not receive any remuneration.