Commenting on figures showing a sharp rise in the in the number of patients not being seen in A&E departments within the Assembly Government’s target time of four hours, Nick Ramsay AM, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, said:
“These alarming figures show that despite the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, patients are not receiving the efficient and timely treatment they deserve.
“Waiting in an A&E Department for over four hours can cause enormous distress to patients, particularly young children and the elderly.
“Earlier this week, Welsh Conservatives revealed concerns that some Local Health Boards are going to extraordinary measures to meet Labour-Plaid Ministers’ targets, which could be compromising patient care.
“Wales needs a National Health Service based on the needs of patients with priorities set by healthcare professionals, not politicians.
“These figures are further evidence that now is not the time for Labour-Plaid to slash the NHS budget by £1billion over the next three years. Welsh Conservatives are the only party committed to protecting the NHS budget.”
