Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has blasted the Labour Welsh Government’s decision to remove special measures at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and accused the Health Minister of trying to “hoodwink the people of North Wales” into thinking that improvements had been made when they haven’t.
Responding to Vaughan Gething’s Statement in the Senedd this afternoon, Darren said the health board, which has been in special measures for almost six years, is not fit to come out.
The Health minister described his decision as “a positive step for communities in North Wales”, but Darren said it is anything but.
Speaking outside the Chamber, Darren said:
“This decision has everything to do with the prospects of the Labour Party at next year’s Senedd elections. It can not be justified and if the Health Minister thinks he can fool the people of North Wales then he is very much mistaken.
“The Health Minister insists that improvements have been made, but when I speak to my constituents, many do not feel like performance has improved.
“In February the First Minister said that he was disappointed at the progress being made at Betsi and just last month he told the Welsh Parliament that big challenges remain. How are the people of North Wales expected to believe that over the course of the coronavirus pandemic a health board that was showing disappointing progress has shown dramatic improvement.
“The change in culture that we all know that Betsi needed simply has not happened. Public confidence remains low, waiting times are unacceptable, mental health services aren’t good enough and access to GP and dentistry services is fragile.”
He added:
“The people of North Wales will not be hoodwinked, we want to see real change and service improvement, not a sleight of hand by a Welsh Government Minister.”