Wales’ health minister has been accused of “moving the goalposts” on NHS waiting times during a Senedd debate.
Reform UK shadow health minister Benjamin Hodge McKenna challenged health minister Mabon ap Gwynfor over Plaid Cymru’s pledge to eradicate two-year waiting lists – which the Reform MS said are “going in the wrong direction”.
Mr Hodge McKenna quoted First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth as saying two year waits would be eradicated within months of a Plaid Cymru government, before the deadline was changed to within the first year of government.
Questioning whether the “goalposts” would be moved again, Mr Hodge McKenna called on Mr ap Gwynfor to commit to eradicating two-year waits by next May.
He said: “I acknowledge you received a terrible inheritance from Welsh Labour, but we’re past the first 100 days of your government now – we’re closing in on six months, and we’re heading into the winter, where we all know pressures are going to be worse.”
Accepting numbers are currently rising, Mr ap Gwynfor said this was “part of the legacy” his government inherited from the previous administration.
He pointed to Plaid Cymru’s summer announcement of £145 million – £45 million in capital and £100 million of revenue funds – to tackle waiting lists.
“During the recess period, we had conversations with the health boards and clinicians to draw up the plans of how that funding was going to go into the system, what the plans were going to look like,” he said.
“Health boards provided the final plans to me at the beginning of this month, and that’s when the money started to be pumped into the system. Health boards will be paid on delivery of outcomes, not paid up front.
“So, yes, while we can expect to see the waiting lists go up when they are announced again this month, for the month of August, once the money has gone into the system we can expect to see those waiting lists come down.”
GP Surgeries
Access to GP surgeries will also impact waiting lists, Mr Hodge McKenna told the Siambr.
He siad the number of GPs in Wales has decreased by 106 over recent years whilst the number of people needing treatment per GP has increased by 30%.
He said: “I spoke with the BMA last week, who launched the Save our Surgeries campaign.
“Natasha Ashgar from the Welsh Conservatives launched a statement of opinion on this issue.
“I’ve supported it alongside Reform colleagues, Welsh Labour have supported it, and the Liberal Democrats have supported it, but not a single person from Plaid Cymru has supported that statement of opinion, Minister. Why not?”
Mr ap Gwynfor responded: “Because we’re taking action on this.”
The minister explained that to tackle waiting lists, things must be right in the GP setting – and outlined the government’s commitment to recruit 100 GPs before the end of the Senedd term.
Mr ap Gwynfor continued: “We have a programme where we will be supporting GPs and ensuring that we build on the current structures that we’ve got in order to have more co-operative models so that we can help take the back-room costs away from them and allow them to invest in the medical services that they want to provide.”
