Health and Social Care

The health systems of Ireland, Scotland and Wales are all under intense pressure after years of pandemic strain, demographic change and chronic under‑investment. Waiting lists have swelled to historic levels, mental‑health services are stretched beyond capacity, and staffing shortages threaten the quality of care in both urban hospitals and remote rural communities. Our manifesto sets out a coherent, cross‑border agenda that tackles these problems head‑on while respecting the distinct traditions of each nation.

We will rebuild a health service that is accessible, affordable, culturally aware and future‑proof. The following pillars outline how we intend to do that.

1. Rapid Reduction of Waiting Lists
Across the three nations more than 700 000 patients are still waiting for hospital treatment, with Scotland alone seeing a peak of 728 500 pending cases in September 2024. We will launch a Celtic Waiting‑List Action Programme that pools funding, expands elective‑care capacity through regional surgical hubs, and contracts private‑sector providers only when public capacity is exhausted. A clear, time‑bound target will be set: no patient should wait longer than 4 weeks for diagnostics and 12 weeks for therapy by spring 2025, matching the Welsh ambition and the Irish waiting‑list action plan.

Like the Nordics, we will raise public health spending to at least 10 % of GDP and earmark a dedicated “capacity fund” that finances additional operating theatres, bedside nurses and diagnostic equipment. This extra financing will be protected by a multi‑year legislative framework, preventing the short‑term austerity cuts that have kept the UK’s waiting lists high.

2. Strengthening the Workforce
General‑practice partners in Scotland have fallen by 598 since 2014, leaving a vacancy rate of 14.4 % in 2024. Ireland faces similar recruitment gaps, especially in nursing and allied health professions. We will create a Celtic Health‑Workforce Corps that funds accelerated training routes, offers scholarships tied to service in under served areas, and guarantees a minimum pay uplift comparable across the three health systems. Retention bonuses will be linked to continuous professional development and wellbeing programmes.

We will expand the clinical pipeline by funding additional university places, apprenticeship schemes and fast‑track graduate entry programmes, mirroring Denmark’s public‑sector salary tables that tie hiring to long‑term contracts. A Celtic recruitment board will coordinate placement across the islands, ensuring the clinician‑to‑population ratios reach the Nordic benchmark.

3. Expanding Mental‑Health Services
Mental‑health referrals in Scotland rose 3.8 % in a single quarter, while Wales reports a surge in waiting times for psychological therapies and a backlog of 796 000 patients awaiting any NHS treatment. We will invest €150 million / £120 million / £100 million (Ireland, Scotland, Wales respectively) in community‑based mental‑health hubs, integrate digital therapy platforms, and guarantee that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) receive a dedicated €3 million annual boost in each jurisdiction. Early‑intervention teams will be co‑led by clinicians and trained peer supporters from local communities.

We will increase the share of the budget devoted to preventive health, allocating a larger proportion to school‑based mental‑wellbeing programmes, community counselling and early‑screening services—exactly the approach that has lowered incidence of chronic mental illness in the Nordics.

4. Rural Access and Tele‑Health
Geographic isolation remains a barrier in the western Irish counties, the Scottish Highlands and rural Wales. By expanding broadband to universal 5G coverage and subsidising portable diagnostic kits, we will enable tele‑consultations for 90 % of routine appointments in remote areas. Mobile outreach clinics will rotate quarterly, delivering vaccinations, chronic‑disease checks and palliative‑care support.

The Celtics will invest in a interoperable electronic health‑record system and a digital health platform that connects primary‑care, hospitals and social‑care providers, eliminating the data silos that currently slow coordination in remote regions.

5. Integrated Social‑Care Pathways
The separation of health and social care leads to fragmented support for older adults and people with disabilities. We will merge funding streams into a Celtic Care Continuum Fund, ensuring that once a hospital discharge is planned, a coordinated package of home‑care, assisted‑living and community‑rehabilitation is automatically triggered. This will reduce unnecessary readmissions and align with the Irish “Sláintecare” vision of seamless care.

Following the Nordic model, long‑term care will be fully integrated into the public‑health budget, removing the “means‑tested” barriers that force many UK patients into costly private arrangements and cause hospital readmissions.

6. Preventive Health & Public‑Wellbeing
Preventable disease accounts for a large share of hospital demand. A Celtic Prevention Charter will introduce school‑based nutrition programmes, free annual health screenings, and a unified anti‑smoking campaign targeting the 15‑30 age group. Funding for community sport facilities and active‑travel infrastructure will be earmarked to tackle obesity, cardiovascular disease and mental wellbeing.

7. Digital Transformation & Data Sharing
Data silos impede efficient decision‑making. We will develop a Celtic made Health Data Exchange that respects GDPR and the Well‑being of Future Generations Act, allowing clinicians to view a patient’s full record across borders while safeguarding privacy. Real‑time dashboards will monitor waiting‑list trends, bed occupancy and workforce metrics, enabling rapid policy adjustments.

8. Funding & Accountability
A Celtic Health Investment Package of €5 billion / £4 billion / £3.5 billion over the next five years will be allocated jointly, with contributions proportionate to each nation’s GDP. Independent auditors will publish annual performance reports, and any breach of waiting‑time targets will trigger automatic release of contingency funds. We will legislate a multi‑year health‑spending framework that locks in the 10 %‑of‑GDP target, shielding core services from short‑term fiscal volatility and ensuring the same financial certainty enjoyed by Norway, Denmark and Finland.

9. Community‑Led Governance
Local health boards will include elected representatives from indigenous and minority groups, ensuring that policy reflects cultural needs and language preferences. Regular public hearings will be held in Dublin, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, giving citizens a direct voice in shaping services.

10. Emergency Preparedness
The pandemic taught us that resilience is essential. We will create a Celtic Surge Capacity Reserve of staffed ICU beds, mobile ventilator units and a pooled stockpile of essential medicines, ready to be deployed across any of the three nations within 48 hours of a declared health emergency.

11. Performance‑Based Pay for Public‑Sector Workers (Nordic‑Inspired Model)

We will replace the “all‑or‑nothing” scheme with a two‑tier remuneration system. Every NHS employee, police officer and other public‑service worker will receive a guaranteed, livable base salary that covers the ordinary duties of the role – no one will lose their essential income because of short‑term fluctuations in performance.

On top of that, a modestly sized, transparent bonus pool (targeting 5 %–10 % of annual pay) will be paid each year only when collectively‑agreed, data‑driven targets are met. These targets will be set through collective bargaining with unions and will combine quantitative outcomes (e.g., reduction in repeat offences, waiting‑list shrinkage, patient‑satisfaction scores) with qualitative indicators (peer‑review, adherence to ethical standards, teamwork).

A public dashboard will display the key metrics that drive the bonuses, allowing citizens and staff alike to see exactly how performance translates into pay. Employees who consistently meet or exceed the agreed thresholds will receive the full bonus; those who fall short will see the variable component reduced but will retain their base salary. Under‑performers will be placed on a structured performance‑improvement plan with clear milestones, coaching and training – the same supportive approach used by Nordic police academies and health services to raise competence and morale.

The scheme will be co‑designed with trade‑union representatives, embedded in a collective‑agreement framework, and subject to regular independent audits to guard against bias or abuse. By coupling a secure base wage with modest, collectively negotiated incentives, transparent measurement and strong employee support, we create a system that motivates excellence, reduces toxic workplace politics and ultimately delivers safer, healthier communities across the Celtic nations.

12. Herbal & Self‑Help Wellness Programme – Revitalising Celtic Natural‑Medicine Traditions

Goal: Re‑introduce the centuries‑old Celtic tradition of using locally‑available plants and holistic practices for everyday health, while safeguarding public safety through a regulated, evidence‑based framework.

12.1 Legal, Regulated Cannabis for Medicinal & Wellness Use

Controlled licensing – A national licence‑issuing authority will oversee cultivation, processing and distribution of cannabis for therapeutic and wellness purposes. Licences will be granted to community‑owned farms, cooperatives and accredited research facilities.
Quality standards – All cannabis products must meet strict laboratory‑testing criteria (THC/CBD content, contaminants, pesticide‑free) before reaching consumers, mirroring the pharmaceutical‑grade controls used for conventional medicines.
Prescription‑free low‑dose options – Adults will be able to purchase low‑THC, high‑CBD preparations (e.g., oils, teas, topical balms) from pharmacies or designated community outlets without a doctor’s prescription, provided they have completed a brief online safety‑check and education module.
Revenue reinvestment – A modest excise tax on cannabis sales will be earmarked for the Celtic Wellness Fund (see 12.3) to finance research, education and community‑garden projects.

12.2 Grants for Cultivation & Education of Native Herbal Resources

Herbal‑Garden Grants – Small‑scale growers, schools, community centres and rural cooperatives can apply for seed‑stock and starter‑kit subsidies to cultivate native, nutritionally rich plants such as stinging nettle, dandelion, yarrow, elderflower and seaweed.
Curriculum integration – Primary and secondary curricula in the Celtic nations will include a “Traditional Plant Medicine” module covering identification, sustainable harvesting, preparation methods (infusions, poultices, tinctures) and basic safety guidance.
Research partnerships – Universities and the Celtic Health Institute will receive dedicated funding to conduct rigorous clinical‑quality studies on the efficacy of these herbs for common ailments (e.g., inflammation, digestive health, mild anxiety). Findings will be published in open‑access journals and fed back into the education programme.

12.3 Self‑Healing Clubs – Free Yoga, Meditation & Plant‑Wellness Hubs

Community‑run wellness hubs – Local councils, in partnership with NGOs and volunteer networks, will establish “Self‑Healing Clubs” that offer:
- Daily free yoga and tai‑chi sessions, led by certified instructors.
- Guided meditation and breathwork circles focused on stress reduction and mental‑wellbeing.
- Workshops on herbal preparation, seasonal foraging walks and sustainable gardening techniques.
Accessibility – Spaces will be free of charge, wheelchair‑accessible, and open to all ages; special sessions will be organised for seniors, people with disabilities and those recovering from illness.
Evaluation & safety – Each club will maintain a simple outcomes log (attendance, self‑reported wellbeing scores, any adverse reactions) that feeds into the Celtic Health Data Exchange, enabling continuous improvement and evidence‑based scaling.

12.4 Prevention‑First Mindset

By empowering individuals with knowledge of locally grown, low‑risk botanicals and free mind‑body practices, we aim to reduce reliance on unnecessary prescription medication, lower chronic‑pain medication use, and improve mental‑health resilience across the Celtic nations.
The programme will be monitored through the same real‑time dashboards used for waiting‑list and workforce metrics, ensuring that any emerging safety concerns are addressed promptly.

12.5 Governance & Oversight

A Celtic Wellness Advisory Board—comprising clinicians, herbalists, pharmacologists, ethicists and community representatives—will review licensing applications, set quality standards, and advise the health ministries on policy adjustments.
Annual public reports will detail cannabis‑related health outcomes, herb‑cultivation uptake, and participation rates in Self‑Healing Clubs, guaranteeing transparency and public trust.

Why this matters

Historically, Celtic societies relied on the bounty of the land—nettles for iron, heather for respiratory relief, and communal gatherings for mental balance. By modernising those practices within a regulated, evidence‑based framework, we honour cultural heritage, expand preventive health options, and create new green‑economy jobs, all while keeping public safety at the forefront. This policy complements the earlier twelve points by adding a holistic, community‑driven layer of prevention that can alleviate pressure on hospitals, reduce prescription drug demand, and strengthen the overall resilience of the Celtic peoples

Together, these policies will turn the current crisis into an opportunity to build a healthier, more equitable future for every person living in the Celtic nations. By pooling resources, sharing expertise and placing community needs at the heart of decision‑making, we can finally deliver a health and social‑care system that works for everyone—today and for generations to come.