Welsh Minister hits back at claims of longer NHS waits in Wales than England
Wales’ Health Minister has challenged claims that waiting lists for the NHS in Wales are worse than in England.
Eluned Morgan suggested there was “no evidence” to support claims that A&E waiting times in Wales are worse than in England.
Her intervention comes after Conservative former Welsh secretary Alun Cairns said at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday that patients in Wales “sadly have to wait longer to see a doctor, longer for an ambulance, longer at A&E and longer for an operation than patients in England”.
Aneurin Bevan
He claimed that Aneurin Bevan, the Labour former health minister who oversaw the foundation of the NHS, would be “turning in his grave” at how his party has run the health service in Wales.
But responding to the claims, Baroness Morgan said: “In the last 12 months overall waiting lists in Wales have only increased by 1.4% compared to 5.9% in England, and we count more pathways in our lists than England.
“Comparisons can’t be made between ambulance response time performance in Wales and England as we have different categories of incidents and different targets, and there is no evidence to support the claims made on A&E.
“We have invested in new ways for people to access emergency and urgent care services – so they don’t have to go to an emergency department. These include 16 new primary care centres, which are treating 12,000 people a month, and our new national 111 service, which is providing advice to more than 75,000 people each month, including around 525 people who need urgent mental healthcare.
“Wales has more GPs per head of the population than England and we have already reformed the GP contract to eliminate the 8am bottleneck.”
Prime Minister
In his question to the Prime Minister, Vale of Glamorgan MP Mr Cairns said: “There are 24,785 patients in Wales waiting longer than two years for an operation. That number in England is 227. Does the Prime Minister agree that Aneurin Bevan will be turning in his grave on the fact that you can’t trust Labour with the NHS?”
Rishi Sunak replied: “He is absolutely right. Whereas here in England we have a plan… and we have virtually eliminated those waiting the longest amount of time but in Labour-run Wales, as he said, … waiting lists over 18 months are more than 10 times higher than here in England.”
The Prime Minister added: “It is crystal clear we should stick to our plan for a brighter future and not go back to square one with Labour.”
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I doubt that there is much difference but neither are adequate or satisfactory. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has confirmed that patients are dying of treatable conditions due to delays at all stages. In both countries where the air ambulance is involved things are better but this is a charitable service not NHS.
It’s no good arguing with the Tory’s, because we all know, England are the best at everything, that’s what lead to Brexit.
No disillusionment with the political system and the bleak outcome of change for the future led to Brexit. Plus the sheer overconfidence of remainers who did not bother voting. Brexit was a red wall vote.
It was also a Red Cross etc volunteer vote where the propaganda was espoused in Porthmadog, Dolgellau (Ty Brics the only red wall in Dol) every town. Parents up and down the West Coast and Ynys Mon sh*tting on their kids future. Tell the truth, and part of that farmers field truth is it was coming from the expats as much as anybody…people were totally ignorant up here as well as in the cities and towns…we tried to warn all our customers but ! while Plaid did sweet FA…
Explain this comment and what on earth it’s got to do with the NHS waiting lists in Wales, run and controlled by the Welsh Labour Government . By the way Wales voted for Brexit
The only argument a Tory will put up here, is how good or better they are doing in England, and how we should copy them, hence the relevance, and the Tory UK Gov are the ultimate purse holders, responsible for lack of investment in all 4 countries. A majority here voted for Brexit, check out how they now feel in places like Port Talbot, see Byline TV video on YouTube interviewing the workforce.
Not good here but the oik should take note.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68240096
We need more hospitals a lot of Welsh patients are treated in England. I am left to wonder whose waiting list they are on?
Tory Welsh M P.s are in government they are supposed to stick up their COUNTRY CYMRU WALES not england they are supposed to fight for what we as a country should be given we have been denied by Tory London him and that Sleazy slimy Welsh sec Davies thats all they do is put Wales down nothing more than Trecherous Traitors Quislings thats what Welsh Tories are they would like Wales to become just a county of england
You won’t find any Welsh Labour MPs in parliament shouting for Wales because they all turn a blind eye to Drakeford and his dictatorship
Dictatorship, explain this comment, when he was elected in a Senedd election open to all registered voters in Cymru.
Arguing over a percentage point while thousands of elderly patients die of hospital acquired infections, it is disgusting and disgraceful. Sack her Mr Drakeford , if you have the authority which I somehow doubt…
2 daft politicians arguing who does “less badly”… and we’re dull enough to pay them for that level of disservice !
Too right, they are a clear and present danger to the health and life of every person in Cymru…
Eluned Morgan wants evidence, here’s 1 . I have been on a NHS waiting list since March 2023 in Cardiff for a procedure my case is marked as urgent . My GP has done all they can without doing the job themselves to get it done. But don’t forget this is the minister on the BBC who said she is not responsible for waiting lists in Wales and is not to blame for people waiting
Sorry to hear this, have you written to your MP, and complained to your health board, my brother in law suffered the same, but is now being treated, hope you are soon.
The NHS is a shambles in Wales. The NHS is a shambles in England, Scotland and NI too. Whether or not England is doing less badly than Wales is not important, the real comparison is how it compares to the rest of the developed world. If we make that comparison, the answer is the NHS has failed and is getting worse. We have spent the last ten years throwing money at the Welsh NHS (budget has increased 65%), yet the service to the public has got worse. Throwing good money after bad will not fix this. The whole thing needs… Read more »