Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles has accepted the 29 recommendations made by the Ministerial Advisory Group on NHS Performance and Productivity.

The group was set up in October to look at the effectiveness of current NHS Wales arrangements.

Led by Sir David Sloman, the review focused on planned care, diagnostics, cancer performance and urgent and emergency care and considered ways to improve productivity and performance, including digital and data and improving regional working.

The report makes 29 recommendations including suggestions for improving waiting list management, removing unwarranted variation in treatment, using national and regional plans to establish sustainable services and enhancing leadership within NHS Wales.

The Welsh Government plans to accept, or accept in part all of the recommendations and work is already underway to address many of these.

Miles said: "The message in the report is very clear: we have a significant challenge in performance and in productivity. The service is not performing at the levels that we or the public need and expect it to.

"That demands a step change in our approach so we can improve the services the public receives, deliver better health outcomes they deserve, and make sure every pound spent brings the best value, as demands on the health service increase into the future.

"But the report is also optimistic. Time and again it outlines the strength of the assets we have in Wales. It highlights the commitment and skill of our staff – clinical and managerial – of good strategy, and often of good practice."