CRITICAL care services in Wales are to benefit from a new Welsh Government fund worth £15 million a year.

The cash announced by health secretary Vaughan Gething will be used to redesign the way critical care services are run and develop a new national model of care for the critically ill.

It will also be used to recruit more staff and increase the number of beds for critical care.

Mr Gething said: “Critical care is one of the areas of the NHS that has acutely felt the strains and challenges facing the whole system.

"Despite this, those who require critical support continue to receive high standards of care thanks to the dedication and compassion of staff.

“Last month I published our long-term plan for future health and social care, which set out how services will be adapted to meet future challenges.

"Today’s funding will help us to do this within critical care, with a firmer central hand in place to ensure the right services are delivered in the right place, at the right time to secure more sustainable services for the future.”

A Task and Finish Group chaired by deputy chief medical officer Professor Chris Jones will be established to develop the national model and oversee the allocation of funding.