‘Crisis’ of care in Welsh NHS

Local TV

Eluned Morgan is facing first ministers questions over the NHS once again. Given the extra pressures at the moment, coupled with a recent scathing report on the state the health services around Wales, it’s no wonder that its a top priority for people, and there are growing concerns hitting the Welsh government from all angles.

Transcript

00:00Even your own MPs are critical of the way that the NHS is being run here in Wales, so

00:07when are you going to acknowledge that there is a crisis and that you need to do something

00:12about it?

00:13Let me tell you that when it comes to Frontline, it is important to remember that the equivalent

00:20of two thirds of the population have contact with the NHS in Wales on a monthly basis,

00:25the vast, vast majority of them having a very good service.

00:30The Royal College of Nurses recently published findings from health services across Wales

00:34and that offers a scathing indictment of how things are going, but politicians in the Senate

00:39seem to think that the issues stem from different reasons.

00:42You told me I didn't understand the issue.

00:45You said to me, and I quote, if you think it's about beds, you haven't understood.

00:50Well here's a copy of the Royal College report, I don't know if you've read it, I'm happy

00:54to pass it to you, it doesn't sound to me as though you have read it, but over 500 times

00:59in this report, beds are cited as a problem.

01:02Over 500 times, they're not my issues, it's the RCN that's claiming that this is a problem

01:09and you know and I know that the number of beds in our National Health Service since

01:131999, entirely on Labour's watch, has reduced by over 30% while our population has increased

01:19by 10%.

01:20Look, we're very clear about the plan that we have.

01:23We've got a strategic plan when it comes to health.

01:26It was built together with stakeholders, with the public, it was built together with experts

01:35and the RCN were also involved in the development of that plan.

01:38When it comes to hospital beds, let me tell you that we have more beds in Wales per head

01:44than they do in England and that there is a recognition that the way forward here is

01:50to shift to more support in the community, to make sure we do more prevention work and

01:56to ensure we have digital transformation.

Category

Transcript

Recommended