Commenting on figures published this morning showing a fifth of all NHS beds in Wales have been lost in the past 10 years, Darren Millar AM, Shadow Minister for Health, said:
“These disturbing figures show how Labour has axed a fifth of all NHS beds over the past ten years, leading to the highest bed occupancy rate in over a decade and unprecedented pressures on hospital wards.
“Bed numbers in the Welsh NHS were cut by 3% last year alone, no doubt driven by the record-breaking budget cuts imposed by Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government.
“When there are insufficient beds in hospitals, this puts strain on staff, means A&E units fill up and renders paramedics unable to offload patients quickly so ambulances are delayed in responding to their next distress call.
“Worryingly, hospital reorganisation plans across Wales will axe even more beds in coming years.
“Labour’s NHS bed cuts must be reversed to stop the reduction in NHS capacity at a time when demand is at a record high.”
