An advisor to a former United States president has spoken on the importance of reducing waste in Wales.

This comes as 20 per cent of global health and care funds are wasted, prompting a pressing discussion on cutting waste in Welsh health and care services on April 8.

The event included Professor Don Berwick KBE, a previous advisor to Barack Obama and Welsh health and care leaders.

Professor Berwick emphasised the dire situation, saying: "We need to focus every pound, every iota of our workforce energy, every minute of the day on actually meeting the needs of the people of Wales with respect to their health and healthcare and anything we do that doesn’t accomplish that – we can’t afford any more."

Reports suggest that Wales is not alone in battling healthcare waste, with a shocking $1.8tn of global healthcare spending wasted annually.

Offering further insight, Dr. Helen Howson, the Bevan Commission's director, highlighted the looming task ahead.

She announced: "With health and care needs increasing and resources diminishing we have a huge challenge ahead to ensure that we use our available resources wisely."

Dr. Howson continued with a nod to the pioneering spirit of Aneurin Bevan, observing: "Aneurin Bevan would have been shocked at the levels of waste we are seeing in our services today.

"But the innovation, commitment, and enthusiasm we are seeing in health and care leaders to address this demonstrates once again that Wales can lead the way to finding solutions that are fit for the future in health and care."