The Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George, was selected to sponsor a short debate on a subject of his choice following a ballot of all Assembly Members.
Mr George had the opportunity to raise a range of healthcare issues including the need for an Urgent Care Centre in Montgomeryshire and a 24 hour Minor Injuries Unit in Newtown; the challenges of delivering healthcare services in a cross-border context and the need for elective operations to recommence at Bronglais General Hospital. He also took the opportunity to address some of the misleading information which has been published by some political parties during the General Election Campaign.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Mr George said:
“Over the last few weeks, while campaigning alongside my friend and colleague, Glyn Davies, in Montgomeryshire, healthcare has been by far the most frequent and important policy area which has been raised by residents on the doorstep.
“There is a deep frustration that access to healthcare is moving further away from communities in Montgomeryshire as services are centralised in more populated areas, meaning that people have to travel huge distances.
“I believe in the common sense approach that NHS services should be delivered closer to home to give patients the confidence that the NHS will be there for them in their time of need – this is why I have consistently called for an urgent care centre in Montgomeryshire to be established and also support calls for a 24 hour Minor Injuries Unit in Newtown.”
Referring to the current review of the delivery of healthcare services in Shropshire, which will affect many of Mr George’s constituents, he added:
“My long held view is that Powys Teaching Health Board need to react quickly to the changes which are occurring in Shropshire and provide an urgent care centre which serves the people of Mid Wales, either in one of Montgomeryshire’s largest towns and if appropriate, look at developing a new site.
“As the debate in Shropshire is now underway, it’s time that these options are now given serious consideration, so that the people of Montgomeryshire are not disadvantaged.”
Mr George also praised the cross party consensus and Welsh Government engagement on Mid Wales health issues following a recent Conference to discuss the Mid Wales Health Study but criticised the way in which some political parties have used the NHS as a political football during the current General Election campaign.
He said:
“My style is not normally to be partisan but, in this General Election campaign, one political party has tried to hoodwink constituents into believing falsehoods that healthcare is the responsibility of a Westminster government rather than the Welsh Labour Government.
“It ought to be remembered that the Welsh Conservatives are the only party to commit to protecting the Welsh health budget and any blatant scaremongering will not wash with the people of Montgomeryshire. We need a mature debate on the important issue of the NHS in Mid Wales.”
Responding to the debate, Mark Drakeford AM, the Minister for Health and Social Services acknowledged the difficulties in providing healthcare in Mid Wales. Mr Drakeford indicated a willingness to meet with local health campaigners along with Mr George to further discuss health challenges in Mid Wales.
Mr George added:
"I was pleased that the Minister provided a very full response to my debate and important points."
A full transcript of Russell George's debate can be found here: http://www.russellgeorge.com/news/debate-healthcare-mid-wales