Deep End Cymru launches inaugural manifesto

The Deep End Cymru network of GPs has launched its manifesto ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, calling on all parties to commit to urgent action to tackle health inequalities in Wales.

Formed in 2022, Deep End Cymru represents GPs and practice teams working in some of the country’s most deprived areas, providing care for around 400,000 patients. The manifesto sets out clear proposals to end the ‘Inverse Care Law’: the injustice whereby those who need healthcare most often have the least access to it.

The manifesto priorities include:

1. Fair funding for Deep End GP practices – ending the current funding model that sees practices with more patients from deprived areas receive less support, despite facing higher demand and complexity. Deep End Cymru calls for urgent reform of the Carr-Hill formula and immediate increases to the Additional Capacity Fund.
2. Workforce and training – ensuring Wales recruits, trains, and retains more GPs and healthcare professionals in deprived areas. This includes creating new incentive schemes, expanding health equity training, and prioritising placements in Deep End practices.
3. Investment in staff and services – reducing unsafe workload pressures by lowering patient-to-GP ratios in deprived areas and ensuring wider multidisciplinary teams, including link workers and third sector support, are properly resourced.

Dr Neil James, Chair of Deep End Cymru, said:

“The people we serve are sicker, younger, and die earlier than they should. Yet their practices receive less funding and face greater pressure. If we don’t fight for our patients, who will? This manifesto shows that with fairer funding and investment, we can transform healthcare in our communities and give people the healthier, longer lives they deserve.”

Joanna Watts-Jane, Deputy Chair of Deep End Cymru, added:

“We love our work and the difference it makes, but the system is stacked against our patients and our colleagues. The next Welsh Government has an opportunity and a responsibility to put fairness at the heart of the NHS.”

Deep End Cymru emphasises that the cost of reform is modest but the benefits could be transformational.

Read the full Deep End Cymru manifesto

Further information

For media enquiries:
Email: DeepEndWales@rcgp.org.uk
Deep End Cymru website

Notes to editor

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.