Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:49 pm on 13 December 2022.
What is shameless, First Minister, is that people across Wales are in the worst waiting situation of any NHS. Only this week, we had to hear about the issue in Cwmbran where a grandfather was put on a plank in the back of a van, because the ambulance service could not respond to the cry of help from that family to convey him to hospital. What is a serious Government is a serious Government dealing with these issues, and putting something meaningful on the table to get those negotiations off the ground. The point I made to you in my first remarks was why was no offer coming forward from your Government. I understand that it is a difficult situation, I understand that money is tight, but you constantly talk about wanting more powers; you have the powers over terms and conditions within the NHS. You have the levers financially to raise more revenue if you choose to do that. You have, by this budget today that you've laid, chosen not to do that, but you've had £1.2 billion-worth of extra money. You also have an uplift in the finance from Wales for every £1 that is spent in England to £1.20 in Wales. You have taken a political decision to have this fight here in Wales, rather than use the tools available to you to resolve it. It's at your door that this is lying and no-one else's, and I implore you to get back to the negotiating table and resolve this issue as a matter of urgency, so that we don't see the despair and despondency that people are facing week in, week out, with increased waiting times and stories like I've just told you about the people in Cwmbran who had to rely on a plank and a van to convey their grandfather to hospital.