We Need a Cultural Shift in Attitudes Towards Health says Future Generations Commissioner
The calls come in The Future Generations Wales Podcast, hosted by Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, which continues its exploration into how the Well-being of Future Generations Act is shaping a better future.
Wales is the only country in the world with a Well-being of Future Generations Act, and the commissioner's role is to challenge public bodies to take action today that protects people tomorrow.
In this episode, A Healthier Wales, Derek is joined by Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson, one of the most accomplished Paralympians in history and a passionate advocate for health, well-being and inclusivity.
A multi-Paralympic medallist, Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson secured 11 gold medals while competing as a wheelchair athlete in five Paralympic Games from 1988 to 2004. Her dominance extended beyond the track, winning the London Wheelchair Marathon six times and setting more than 30 world records.
Beyond sport, she has served as an independent cross-bench member of the House of Lords since 2010 and with a lifetime dedicated to advocacy, is a powerful voice in the discussion on long-term health strategies. As chair of Sport Wales, she is accountable to the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport for Sport Wales' performance and for the delivery of strategic priorities.
At the heart of their conversation is the principle of prevention, a cornerstone of the Future Generations Act. Tanni and Derek discuss the necessity of embedding long-term health strategies rather than relying on short-term fixes. They use the metaphor of a fence at the top of a cliff rather than an ambulance at the bottom to emphasise the importance of proactive well-being measures.
By 2025, we can expect to spend, on average, the last 20 years of our lives in ill-health, according to the Well-being of Wales report, 2024.
Tanni advocates for a cultural shift in attitudes towards health, with a greater focus on collaboration between sectors to foster lifelong habits that support physical and mental well-being.
The Economic Value of Sport report found sport in Wales is helping to directly deliver £1.9 billion in GVA for the Welsh economy, securing 38,345 full time equivalent jobs.
As a fierce advocate for accessibility and inclusion, Tanni also highlights the need for physical literacy from an early age. She stresses that sports and physical activity should be available to all, regardless of socioeconomic status or disability. Ensuring that every child has the opportunity to engage in sports, she argues, is essential for building confidence, resilience, and lifelong healthy habits.
Despite the well-documented benefits of physical activity, barriers to participation persist. Tanni shares her personal experiences as a wheelchair user navigating an often inaccessible world, shedding light on the daily challenges faced by disabled individuals. She also discusses the additional difficulties women and children encounter in accessing sports and exercise opportunities. These issues, she argues, must be addressed through targeted policies, investment, and a commitment to inclusive programme design.
Derek highlights the Future Generations Report, which assesses public bodies' progress and offer recommendations for the next decade.
The report, published at the end of April 2025 to mark 10 years of the legislation, serves as a roadmap for embedding well-being into policy, ensuring future generations benefit from healthier, more inclusive communities.
In it, the commissioner makes several challenges around health, including calling for annual ringfenced prevention budgets and a move towards long-term funding arrangements to safeguard people's long-term needs.
It was launched with a Future Generations Action Summit at National Museum Cardiff, where public bodies made commitments to key recommendations in the report.
Since Wales committed to future generations thinking, we have seen a progressive school curriculum, a move to greener transport and a new way to define prosperity away from GDP. When Derek took on the role as commissioner in 2023, he said the law needed to work harder and faster so that people in Wales felt the everyday benefits.
Both Derek and Tanni stress in the podcast the importance of maintaining momentum in the face of short-term funding pressures, advocating for sustained investment in long-term health initiatives.
The full episode is available now as part of the Future Generations Wales Podcast series produced by Business News Wales.
For more information and to read the Future Generations Report 2025, see https://futuregenerations.wales/discover/about-future-generations-commissioner/future-generations-report-2025/
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