Following the publication of an Assembly Government five-year strategic plan detailing that the NHS in Wales has been underfunded by a third compared with the health service in England for the last six years, Shadow Health Minister Andrew RT Davies AM said:
“This report shatters the cosmetic front of the Assembly Government and their claims that the NHS is a true priority.
“Not only do we now know that the NHS in Wales is underfunded by a third when compared with England, we are also yet to have answers from the Assembly Government over claims of significant misspends.
“The Chair of the All-Wales Directors of NHS Finance has already identified that there has been a £1bn misspend of NHS funds; something that the Health Minister and the First Minister have flatly denied.
“More than ever we need to see these claims fully investigated to ensure that precious public funds are being spent efficiently and effectively.
“The report draws attention to the marked difference between the Assembly Government and the Westminster Government, which has ring-fenced spending on the health service and protected the block grant for the Welsh NHS.
“Sadly the Assembly Government’s inability to adequately manage NHS spending has left the health service in Wales with lamentable waiting lists, poor ambulance response times and a workforce unable to fulfil their career development.
“People in Wales need to have confidence that public money in the NHS is being spent wisely, and is not being eaten up by excessive bureaucracy.”
