Welsh Conservatives will tomorrow call on the Welsh Government to publish properly costed implementation plans for its key health policies.
Despite being announced ahead of the Assembly elections, full details on annual health checks for the over 50s and extending the provision of primary care services remain unpublished.
While more GP appointments will be available at the end of the working day under new NHS plans, this falls far short of Labour’s pledge to force all GP surgeries to open between 8am and 8pm and on Saturday mornings.
The government’s recent decision to remove and replace all PIP breast implants has also been described by the Welsh Conservatives as a ‘blank cheque’ that lets ‘private clinics off the hook’.
The NHS in Wales is facing the biggest cuts in its history with health spending falling by 6.5 per cent in real terms from 2011/12 to 2014/15. In the coming financial year alone, more than 80 million pounds will be cut from the NHS.
Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, will lead Wednesday’s opposition debate.
He said: “The First Minister has promised to focus on delivery in the fourth Assembly but his actions speak louder than his words. It is irresponsible of him to make uncosted and ill-thought-out campaign promises in the Labour election manifesto, only to be forced to water them down when faced with the reality of Welsh Government finances.
“Health checks and accessibility to primary care services remain crucially important issues, but they must be properly consulted upon and accurately costed. Labour’s pre-election gimmicks remain completely up in the air.
“The British Medical Association has condemned the one point two million annual checks for over 50s and said the idea would result in unacceptable pressure and thousands of missed appointments. Now Labour is back-tracking.
“Still there are no detailed costings for increasing GP opening hours and recent NHS plans show, despite some increased variation, that the delivery of Labour’s pledge is a long way off. Now the Minister appears to be changing her mind.
“Her recent announcement of a blank cheque for PIP implant removal and replacement sets a worrying precedent and lets private clinics off the hook. Clinics have a duty of care to their patients and taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for treatment unless it is required on medical advice.
“Labour’s failure to follow through on key policies has been a key feature of Carwyn Jones’ leadership to date.
“It’s time he and his government produced full costing and implementation plans for these proposals before they are added to the long list of broken promises made by him and his predecessors.”
