Commenting on concerns of funding cuts to be made by Local Health Boards, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Services, Andrew RT Davies, said:
“These spending cuts are Labour’s cuts, to be implemented in this financial year.
“They are based on funding to the Assembly by the previous Labour Government in Westminster and implemented by the current Labour-Plaid Assembly Government.
“These cuts will be extremely challenging for Local Health Boards across Wales. The Minister needs to be working closely with LHBs in a constructive manner to help them meet their commitments to both staff and patients.
“If the Minister would agree to investigate reports that as much as 20% of the Welsh health budget is being wasted every year, she might be able to uncover considerable savings and ease the pressure on Health Boards.
“The Conservative-led UK Government has committed to ring-fencing health spending so the consequential funding for Wales will be unaffected by the autumn’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
“We will be looking to the Assembly Government to make clear whether it will be following the UK coalition government’s lead by making health spending a clear priority as LHBs need to be aware of their spending commitments for the forthcoming years so they can plan accordingly.”
