Health Service Is 'Rhodri's Baby'- Plaid Cymru, Wales

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 19 Jan 2005 - 10:00 PDT

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Wales - "Rhodri Morgan cannot shift any blame for the failure of the NHS in Wales on his new Health Minister, he must take personal responsibility from now on. He must also understand that his own job is on the line if he fails to deliver, for the failure of the NHS is damaging the devolution project itself."

This was the clear message given to the First Minister, by Leader of the Opposition Ieuan Wyn Jones AM during a press conference in the Assembly today (Tuesday 18 January 2005).

"When The First Minister said that the Health service was 'Brian's baby' last Tuesday, he must have known that there was a damning Auditor's report waiting for him in the wings. It was the clearest example yet of Rhodri Morgan's lack of leadership. Brian Gibbons is set to become another 'fall guy' if things go wrong yet again."

Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales also pointed out that neither the First Minister nor Brian Gibbons have announced a change in policy, despite the most damning report on any government policy since 1999. The report attacks the Labour Assembly Government's lack of strategic vision, poor management and financial incompetence.

"It is clear that the First Minister simply doesn't know what to do with long waiting lists. He is pinning his hopes on Brian Gibbons cobbling something up, but if he fails, he faces the sack like Jane Hutt. But Rhodri Morgan as First Minister must realise that we expect a lead from him. Leadership is about taking personal responsibility.

Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales will expect the Labour government to produce a clear strategy to reduce waiting lists, with clear timescales. We expect to see the strategy beginning to produce results by the early summer.

We owe it to the people of Wales to keep health high on the political agenda, and to take action if Labour does not deliver this time round."

Am ragor o wybodaeth cysylltwch a: For more information please contact: Ioan Bellin (UK) 02920 898401, 07815 741664.

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