Study reveals role of nhs in economy

MORE than 10% of the Welsh workforce is employed in the NHS, new research shows.

The study, carried out at Cardiff Business School’s Welsh economy research unit, details what the organisation generates in terms of jobs and wages – both directly to its employees as well as to services and companies that supply and maintain NHS activity in Wales.

Co-author Dr Annette Roberts said: “Our findings show NHS Wales is a significant player in the local economy. Even small changes to funding streams could have significant economic effects.”

Key findings show:

■ ■NHS Wales directly supported around 76,600 full-time equivalent jobs (excluding agency workers) across the whole of Wales in 201617. This employment was linked with £3.3bn of salaries and wages; ■ ■Nearly 33,000 jobs outside the health sector are supported by NHS Wales activity – such as manufacturing, business services, wholesale, retail and construction; ■ ■Almost 14,000 firms and organisations supply NHS Wales with goods and services. More than 6,500 of these are based in Wales; ■ ■In total, NHS Wales is estimated to support almost 145,400 jobs and £5.4bn of gross value added (GVA). This accounts for 11% of total Welsh employment and 9% of Welsh GVA;

■ ■Every £1bn of direct NHS revenue spending supports almost 19,000 jobs in the Welsh economy.

Co-author Professor Max Munday added that NHS spending plays a stabilising role in the local economy and that this spend creates economic opportunities right across Wales.