THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced they will use their Senedd debating time next week to press for urgent action on NHS waiting lists in Wales.
The party says that Freedom of Information requests show that since the May 2021 Senedd election, 38,374 patients have died while waiting for treatment.
The debate, scheduled for Wednesday (Sep 24), will call on the Welsh Government to declare a Health Emergency, guarantee maximum one-year waits for treatment, and introduce a seven-day GP appointment guarantee.
The Conservatives also want to see more surgical hubs, expanded rapid diagnostic centres, improved staff recruitment and retention, restored patient choice in accessing care, and a new cancer action plan.
James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “Labour, with routine support from Plaid Cymru, has broken the Welsh NHS. Since the last Senedd election, almost forty thousand patients have died while waiting for NHS treatment – it is a national scandal.
“The Welsh Labour Government, propped up by Plaid Cymru, has been consistently distracted with extreme, ideological vanity projects, like their default 20mph speed limit and creating more politicians. Meanwhile they have ignored our NHS.”
The Herald reported last night on fresh allegations that Welsh Labour has been “manipulating” waiting list statistics. The Welsh Government has repeatedly failed to meet its own targets to eliminate two-year waits for treatment – first by March 2023 and again by March 2024.
In contrast, the Conservatives point to England, where they say long waits have been “virtually eliminated.”
The motion to be debated will reaffirm that the NHS should remain free at the point of delivery and publicly funded, while pressing for a “comprehensive plan” to cut backlogs and reduce patient deaths.
The debate is due to begin at 5:30pm on Wednesday and will be broadcast live from the Senedd.
