The Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing () was a minister of the Welsh Government, accountable to the cabinet secretary for health and social care. Established as a cabinet position in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales, it was moved to a junior position in 2021. The most recent officeholder was Sarah Murphy since July 2024. The role was made part of the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health in 2026.
Ministers Name Picture Entered office Left officeOther offices held Political party GovernmentNotesMinister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and the Welsh LanguageEluned Morgan8 October 2020 (during COVID)13 May 2021Accountable to Minister for Health and Social ServicesLabourFirst Drakeford governmentDeputy Minister for Mental Health and WellbeingLynne Neagle13 May 202120 March 2024LabourSecond Drakeford governmentMinister for Mental Health and Early YearsJayne Bryant21 March 202417 July 2024LabourGething governmentSarah Murphy17 July 202411 September 2024LabourGething government Eluned Morgan governmentMinister for Mental Health and WellbeingSarah Murphy11 September 2024May 2026LabourEluned Morgan government
Responsibilities
When the post was created as a cabinet post in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales, its responsibilities were stated to include at the time to be; mental health services, patient experience, substance misuse, dementia, veterans' health, and the obesity strategy of Wales.
Since becoming a junior post in 2021, the responsibilities of the post are:
Some public health responsibilities, specifically; The response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales, screening and vaccination. Services for Health improvement and wellbeing Delivery and performance of NHS Wales Escalation procedures Responsibility in managing reports from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, such as keeping a receipt of, responding to, and managing the direction of their reports. Overseeing the Welsh Government's relationship with Audit Wales in matters relating to the NHS. The training and development of the medical workforce, excluding the higher education years 1-5 of Doctors Health and social care research and development Digital health and health innovation Mental health services Suicide prevention Dementia Autism Gambling problem-related health impacts Substance misuse Health of the armed forces and veterans Strategy for Obesity Food Standards Agency in Wales, including food safety Genetically modified food (but not genetically modified crops) Experience of patients, their involvement, and the citizens' voices Safeguarding Services for Adoption and Foster care Advocacy services for children and young people's, such as managing complains, representations, as well as advocacy, under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 Sharing information under the Children Act 2004 Cafcass Cymru Overseeing and deciding policy regarding social service provision of activities by the local authorities in Wales, including issuing statutory guidance Overseeing Social Care Wales Regulating domiciliary, residential, adult placements, foster care, under 8's care provision and private healthcare Inspecting and reporting the provision of social services by the local authorities in Wales, through the Care Inspectorate Wales, including jointly reviewing social services and responding to any reports The rights and entitlements of children and young people, including utilising the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Early years, childcare and play, including the "childcare offer" and its workforce Early childhood education and care Flying Start for children aged 0–3 years Policies for Families First and play
The post-holder launched the "National Framework for Social Prescribing" in December 2023, aiming for the consistent delivery of social prescribing. The post-holder also announced in 2023, funding arrangements for Trading Standards Wales, concerning illegal electronic cigarettes, and online therapy services overseen by Powys Teaching Health Board in 2022.
See also
Ministry
References