‘Faith lost’ in Welsh Government’s ability to manage NHS, says Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru has said that health and care staff have “lost faith” in the Welsh Government’s ability to manage the NHS in Wales.
On the second day of strike action from nurses and ahead of the ambulance worker strike tomorrow, Plaid Cymru has also reiterated its message of support for all workers fighting for fair pay and safe working conditions.
Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for health and care described the strikes as a ‘last resort of a health service on its knees’.
The Welsh Government has said that funding from the UK Government would be needed to increase a pay offer for striking nurses.
The Royal College of Nursing has threatened to stage a fresh wave of strikes in the new year if demands are not met.
December has so far seen industrial action from rail staff, DVSA, nurses, Royal Mail and ambulance workers.
Speaking after joining nurses on the picket line at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “Our health and care service needs healing.
“If we are to truly get to grips with the chronic issues plaguing our NHS – long waiting lists, pressure on health and care workers and the current backlog in treatment and diagnosis – then we must build a more resilient and robust health and care service, starting with support for our hard-working staff.
“These strikes have never just been about pay. Our health and care staff are over-worked and under-resourced and have lost faith in the Welsh Government’s ability to manage the NHS.
“Welsh Government must use all the levers at their disposal to improve the pay award and to improve working conditions. Without workers, there is no NHS.”
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Its no good Welsh Labour pointing at Westminster and saying “Its them!”, because most of us know that, we vote in governments to solve problems not tell us who made them. We all know its the Tory mafia in Westminster, now start doing something about that, get out there on the picket lines with the ESSENTIAL WORKERS we all rely on every day… because its world is going to hell, you don’t have to be a religious person or a scientist to see that if we don’t start protecting our NHS, our EMERGENCY SERVICES our communications workers, our public transport… Read more »
I imagine depending on hand outs from the Westminster Government has a lot to do with it. They cannot pay what they do not have.I believe Wales has received a huge reduction on Finance since we left the EU. AND. Madam Truss crashed the Economy!
I feel that Plaid would be better off using this as an opportunity to push the case for independence than as an opportunity to attack Welsh Labour, or at least to attack Welsh Labour over their attachment to unionism, rather than for their failings at an essentially impossible exercise in robbing Peter to pay Paul. Would it not be better for Plaid to agree that yes, it is impossible to manage the NHS the way it should be managed as long as Westminster decides the budget, but what are Labour actually going to do about that? Welsh Labour want Wales… Read more »