Shadow Minister for North Wales and Clwyd West MS, Darren Millar, has said that the Welsh NHS is “simply not good enough” and called for the Labour Welsh Government to commission an independent review.
Speaking in yesterday’s Business Statement in the Senedd, Darren referred to the recent independent investigation of the NHS in England, and said given that seven health boards in Wales are in various degrees of Welsh Government intervention or special measures, an independent investigation of the Welsh NHS is much needed.
Calling for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health on the future of the NHS here in Wales, he said:
“We know that the NHS is facing significant challenges in North Wales, but also they go beyond that, to the whole of the country. The UK Government commissioned an independent investigation of the NHS in England by Lord Darzi, and, having read that report, it's quite clear that, on nearly every single item listed in it, the NHS in Wales is performing worse than the situation identified in England.
“Now, I would like to know is the Welsh Government going to commission an independent review of our national health service here in Wales, so that we can expose the problems and the difficulties and challenges that are there, and finally, once and for all, get to grips with them?
“We have seven health boards in various degrees of Welsh Government intervention or special measures. That is simply not good enough. It wouldn't be the case if we were able to have an independent report that gave us a steer on how to get out of the mess that you've created after 25 years of a Labour Government here in Wales, and we want to know, from the new Cabinet Secretary for Health, whether he will commission such an independent review?”
Responding, the Trefnydd (Welsh Government’s Business Manager) said: “We absolutely entirely agree with the recent independent review, undertaken by a very evidence-based, and, indeed, Labour, Lord, who actually saw for himself, not only as a physician himself, but also as a Health Minister - He actually identified all of the prerequisites for the future of a healthier nation and the NHS for Wales and, indeed, the rest of the UK. So, I think the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care very much endorses that report”.
Speaking afterwards, Darren added:
“For too long patients across Wales have been let down. It is high time the Welsh Government took action to address the dire state of our health service once and for all and an independent review would be the best start to achieving that.”
