In First Minister’s Questions today Interim Welsh Conservative leader Paul Davies AM challenged Carwyn Jones on his Government’s record on funding the NHS in Wales.
Mr Davies highlighted the fact that the First Minster remains the only UK leader to have cut an NHS budget – and that his own Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social services has recently admitted that the Welsh Government’s decision to deliver a cash flat budget settlement “didn’t work”.
Mr Davies then pushed the First Minster on whether he would commit to ensuring that increases in NHS funding delivered by the UK Government would be matched in Wales.
Speaking from the Senedd, Interim Welsh Conservative leader Paul Davies AM, said:
As we come together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service, we’re also reminded that the First Minister is the only leader of a UK Nation, to have ever cut an NHS budget.
‘Last week, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services made it clear that it was a mistake to cut the health budget in 2011, when he said that ‘the cash flat budget settlement didn’t work’ and the First Minister couldn’t agree with him this afternoon. That’s despite the effects of the cuts in 2011 still being felt by communities across Wales today.
‘Let’s not forget that it was the Welsh Labour Government that put Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board in special measures, centralised and downgraded services in west Wales and presided over a service where thousands of people across Wales are still struggling to access their GP.’
‘The UK Government has pledged a funding boost of £1.2billion to the Welsh Government every year for the next few years and the First Minister must now come clean and confirm whether that funding will be used to support the NHS in Wales and give it the birthday present it so vitally deserves.
