Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 4 October 2017.
You described there what you’d like to see happening in time, and you’re waiting for reports; you’ll consider reports. This is happening now, people waiting over 100 weeks, and my question specifically related to what could be done now in order to speed up the waits for people who have been waiting in pain, leading to further problems with their health. You often claim that waiting times are getting better. Some of them are. If you compare with 2014 rather than 2011, the long-term trend of ever-lengthening waiting times is quite clear. You sometimes announce money for initiatives to tackle problem areas, but workforce planning failures undermine their sustainability. A year last August, you’ll remember you launched a thrombectomy service in Cardiff to treat stroke victims—the highest quality of care. In May this year, the service was stopped because of staffing problems, meaning 500 patients a year won’t now get the best treatment available. Why are other parts of the UK getting this right, but Labour-led Welsh NHS can’t?