SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, says issues in the Welsh NHS are still escalating despite repeated Labour promises.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Health Minister, was speaking in the Senedd, following a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Wales organisations—Escalation update.
Mr Rowlands said: “You’ve made clear today in your statement, and we’ve heard it on the floor here before, that the day-to-day responsibility for healthcare delivery is not your responsibility, which I would accept at an operational level. But when we’re faced with such a consistent period of time of people on waiting lists and suffering, I would argue that it’s no longer an operational responsibility, but is now a strategic and policy responsibility which firmly sits with you and with the Welsh Government.
“I think is important when we’re looking at de-escalation that we should be looking for support for those solutions for change from any quarter we can get it from, whether it’s cross-border, cross-sector, or wherever it may be.
“I’d be interested to hear from you, Cabinet Secretary, how those discussions are going with colleagues at a UK level, working across border and across sectors, to deliver solutions to change so that these health boards can move out of this escalated position sooner rather than later.
“I agree with you in your summary towards the end, Cabinet Secretary, where you talked about the seriousness and significance of decisions being made. In the lead-up to the last Senedd elections, a previous Health Minister felt comfortable to move Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board out of special measures before plunging them back in so soon after those elections, I would be keen to hear from you a commitment that you will not be taking this approach yourself, because the appearance of escalation and de-escalation being played around with for political expediency is something that I know damages confidence in this place and damages confidence in the Welsh Government. The lives and health of people across Wales are far too serious for those party political games to be played.”
The Cabinet Minister, Jeremy Miles said there was a public framework for oversight and escalation, which was most recently published in January of this year and sets out very clearly the process by which the Welsh Government maintains oversight of NHS bodies.
Mr Rowlands added: “As the issues in the Welsh NHS accumulate, people across Wales aren’t seeing the improvements we would expect after repeated Labour promises.
“Both Powys and Swansea Bay health boards have been escalated again, with Betsi Cadwaladr remaining in special measures. There has been next to no progress. In fact, the situation is getting worse.
“The Welsh Conservatives want to see every penny received as a result of health spending in England spent on the Welsh NHS to support health boards, with a substantial workforce plan enacted to boost retention and recruitment by offering healthcare workers a tuition fee refund.”
