“Labour’s First Minister Carwyn Jones today refused to commit to any measurable targets for the improvement of NHS services.”
Key targets for A&E waits, cancer referral to treatment times and ambulance response times have not been met once in the past year. The target of 95% of Accident & Emergency patients being seen within four hours has not been met once since 2009.
The First Minister had previously promised that cancer waiting time targets would be met by March 2013. That promise was not met.
Questioned by the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew RT Davies AM, Carwyn Jones refused to commit to any timescales to meet his government’s own targets and even questioned the point of the eight minute category A ambulance target.
Andrew RT Davies AM, Leader of the Opposition, said, “The First Minister has shown extraordinary arrogance by refusing to commit to his government’s own targets.
“Patients across Wales are waiting longer for treatment with little prospect that this lazy Labour government is doing anything about it.
“The First Minister claims that Wales is an example of what Labour does when in power, which, with deteriorating health indicators, will send a shiver down the spine of patients.
“With Wales on the floor of UK health league tables, patients expect Carwyn Jones to act and deliver on his targets.
“Patients will be worried by Carwyn Jones’ cavalier attitude and even more so by his questioning of whether targets such as the eight minute life-threatening ambulance response time target are even clinically necessary.
“Perhaps the First Minister should go and listen to the views of patients who, in life-threatening situations, relied on the dedicated service of paramedics and ask them whether they think the eight minute target is important.
“This is irresponsible behaviour and displays the arrogance at the head of this lazy Labour government.”
