General election: Starmer promises to cut Welsh NHS waits

9 comments

1. As much as I’ll normally defend the Welsh government and why its record on the NHS is for the most part out of its hands. A labour government in Westminster will ultimately be a final litmus test for Welsh labours running of our services.

   Its an economic fact that the Budget the Tories give the Welsh government is too low to effectively run out services (cynically you’d say politically that’s a pretty good strategy from the Westminster conservatives) Anybody pretending otherwise is a liar with an agenda. But a central Labour government will put the Welsh government in a vice if things don’t improve, as it means either

   a) even with the increase in Senedd funding that should come they still cant start to set things on an upward trajectory

   or

   b) even with a Labour government both in Westmisnter and the Senedd London still wont give Cardiff an appropriate budget to run our public services

   Either scenario is really bad for both Welsh and central labour parties, so I would expect them to try and get the Welsh NHS turned around at all costs, as then it becomes the poster child for Tory callousness and ineptitude, and there’s something that would play extremely well politically about Central labour turning one of the things the Tories use as a stick to beat them with into a weapon they can use against them. The key question of course will be where does Starmer plan to get the money from

2. I can’t see the problem with the headline. The current Welsh parliament has had to endure battling against a Tory government in London for 14 years. In complete contrast, a Labour-majority in London would support a Labour-majority in Cardiff. It’s pretty straightforward.

3. Honestly it’s a low bar to improve. The Tories have given them the easiest targets to exceed. They’ve gutted this country and rearranged billions in wealth for the top .1 percent.

4. Not sure what its like in the South, but all the NHS staff up in North East Wales end up working in England because conditions are much better, especially for those who work in the community.

   One A&E nurse I know has moved from Wrexham to Chester because they have access to most patient notes online, which they don’t in Wrexham? It means if someone turns up at A&E they often have to ask the patient or phone around to get information on them.

   Cheshire offers those who work in the community the ability to base themselves at home a few days a week, which isn’t possible in Betsi because of the note taking systems and lack of ability to communicate with patients. The feeling is that there is a definite skill train over the border.

   From what I gather it’s the result of Welsh Labour caving in to the unions a few years ago who pushed against electronic notes as it would leave many admin staff redundant, where as Westminster Labour persevered. Hopefully if labour get power they can harmonise it across the whole NHS.

5. If we need a Labour UK government in order for the Welsh Labour Government to be able to do it’s job on the NHS, what do we need a Welsh Labour Government for? It just seems like extra expensive budget management steps that benefit no one.

   Let’s hope Starmer gets the chance. We know the Tories have run out of ideas now.

6. Tbf, Welsh Labour can only do so much with what the Tories are giving them, so if UK Labour gave more money specifically to improve the NHS then it would hopefully reduce waiting times.

7. An elderly relative recently had to wait like 5 hours for an ambulance, ridiculous.

8. The waste and inefficiency in Wales is staggering. The 20mph limits is an example of badly thought through vanity projects. I hope it improves. I suspect it won’t.

9. OK so that would mean they would have to stop wasting money on diversity and queer campaigns, reduce or limit profiteering from contracts for basic ailments such as skin creams, micromanage managment to ensure a reduction in financial loss is eliminated due to negligence, give patients an ultimate on health for those who need help with obesity, smoking or drinking! Failure to improve should be dismissed from treatment. The country has increased its capacity of people who abuse the system internally and externally, go private and you’ll make changes for the better.