First Minister Addresses North Wales NHS Concerns
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan described the health board in north Wales as "not a pretty sight" while defending Labour's management of the NHS. This admission came during the BBC Wales' Your Voice Live: Ask the Leader programme on Wednesday evening, held ahead of the Senedd election.
The discussion was dominated by criticism of Wales' health service, particularly focusing on the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Public Experiences Highlight NHS Issues
During the event, audience members shared difficult experiences with NHS services under Betsi Cadwaladr. Morgan acknowledged these concerns and explained the government's response.
Reform UK's Dan Thomas labelled the Welsh NHS as "a symbol of failure" after 27 years of Labour governance. Anthony Slaughter, leader of the Wales Green Party, stated that the NHS was "crumbling and services are stretched beyond belief." Morgan concurred with the criticism of Betsi Cadwaladr, stating:
"Betsi was not a pretty sight. I'm absolutely clear about that and that's why we put them into special measures. That's why the Welsh government have people sitting in Betsi Cadwaladr, booking people in, making sure that they do their job properly.
We don't run the NHS directly. We appoint health boards to make sure that that happens."
The three party leaders responded to questions from voters in Llandudno, where Morgan heard firsthand accounts of NHS difficulties.
One student with epilepsy reported being denied medication after relocating. Another man recounted spending 22 hours at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd following a heart attack, including being kept in a cupboard before being admitted to a ward.
Morgan expressed that hearing these stories was painful but noted increased funding from Westminster since Labour's 2024 general election victory, which has facilitated improvements such as reduced patient waiting times.
"I'm absolutely ready to take accountability and responsibility for the NHS," Morgan said.
She also highlighted recruitment challenges for specialists in north and west Wales, the latter being her constituency. To address this, a new medical school has been opened in north Wales to attract specialists to the region.
Reform UK Criticizes NHS Leadership
Dan Thomas criticized the NHS as being "on its knees," lamenting that Wales, the birthplace of the NHS, now faces systemic failures. He attributed the situation to poor management and a lack of accountability among senior NHS leadership.
Thomas stated:
"After 27 years of Labour government propped up by Plaid, the money was there for the NHS to turn it around but it's badly run because there are no consequences for failure by the senior management.
There's a leadership and management problem in the NHS. We've got this health board [Betsi Cadwaladr] now where we are in special measures, twice, the ministers down at Cardiff Bay are not taking accountability.
They're not showing leadership. And what you'll have in the Reform government, led by me, is somebody who will hold the health chiefs to account."
Green Party Calls for Increased Primary Care Funding
Anthony Slaughter, leader of the Wales Green Party, described the NHS as "crumbling and services are stretched beyond belief." He emphasized the need to end "the scandal of corridor care" and advocated for increased funding for primary care services such as general practitioners and dentists.
When asked about funding sources for additional NHS expenditure, Slaughter acknowledged that his party had not previously been in government and therefore lacked access to official budgets and data to provide detailed costings.
Upon further questioning regarding costings, Slaughter remarked:
"What kind of fool thinks you can put a four year economic budget plan in place in a world of Trump and Putin?
We've just seen the latest effect so putting together a fantasy four-year budget is a waste of time."
Slaughter also confirmed his party's intention to introduce rent controls to alleviate living costs. The Greens propose freezing rents initially, followed by granting councils the authority to cap tenant payments.
When challenged on the effectiveness of rent controls, he stated:
"It has worked in some places. It hasn't worked as well in other places.
That's why we're calling for a rent freeze for one year, just to give people some breathing space."
Context of the Senedd Election
This programme was the second of two Your Voice Live sessions featuring party leaders ahead of the Senedd election scheduled for 7 May. The first, broadcast on 8 April, included leaders from Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Conservatives, and the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
