Frontline health service a budget priority, says First Minister

First Minister Carwyn Jones today reiterated that the Labour-led Assembly Government will do all it can to protect NHS frontline services in its Draft Budget, which is published next week.

The First Minister was addressing healthcare professionals at a major international conference in Cardiff today on chronic conditions, public health and the challenges that face the NHS.

Carwyn Jones said:  “Next week, the Welsh Assembly Government will publish its draft budget for the next four years.  I can’t reveal the detail of that yet, of course, but let me make this commitment to you;  the NHS is, and always will be a priority for the Assembly Government, and we are doing all we can to protect this cherished service.

The First Minister said that the NHS is already performing more efficiently than it did some years ago.  He said that the average length of stay in hospital for orthopaedic care and treatment had fallen by a whole day since 2005 and nearly 6,000 fewer operations are cancelled each year.  He said that streamlining the NHS to 10 organisations was making savings and management costs are falling.

Concluding his speech, the First Minister said:  “The NHS was born in Wales, and is the pride of Wales.  I’m proud that the NHS in Wales has remained true to the principles of its founder, Aneurin Bevan, with services provided free at the point of need.  That’s why I’ve promised that universal benefits such as free prescriptions are here to stay.

“Past experience has shown what happens when financial pressures are translated into all-round cuts in services – with those in greatest need often taking the biggest hit.  It’s that overarching principle of chwarae teg, fair play to all our people, on which the NHS was founded and which my Government is basing its priorities.  And I know that you as NHS staff who care for any patient, regardless of their background, will appreciate that principle more than most.”