Health

First Minister quizzed on Welsh NHS pressures in his first-ever FMQs

Published

1 week ago

June 2, 2026

SENEDD Members pressed the First Minister over the state of the health service in Wales, as the Plaid Cymru leader faced his inaugural First Minister’s Questions.

Rhun ap Iorwerth faced his colleagues in the Siambr today (June 2) to be questioned on the progress achieved so far by the first-ever Plaid Cymru Welsh Government.

Mr ap Iorwerth clashed with opposition leader Dan Thomas, who reminded the First Minister that “Plaid Cymru only won 6% more than Reform” in the recent election.

He continued: “That very small lead can be eroded when you do not stick to your policies and when you do not show determination to put the people of Wales first. I’ll just remind you of that.”

In response, the First Minister noted that it will be “a very long Senedd term if it starts in this way” before adding: “But we got a certain percentage more than you in the election.”

Opening his questions to the First Minister, Mr Thomas raised the number of people in Wales waiting more than two years to receive NHS treatment.

Reform’s Welsh leader said: “Thousands of people in Wales are still waiting more than two years for treatment on the Welsh NHS, whereas in England two-year waits were virtually eradicated some time ago, which proves that ending two-year waits can be achieved.

Reform's Wales leader Dan Thomas speaking in the Senedd — Reform’s Wales leader Dan Thomas speaking in the Senedd

“During the election campaign, you said that two-year waits could end in a matter of months, but your new health minister has said it will happen within four years.”

Mr Thomas called on the First Minister to clarify what “expectations” the Plaid government has set for two year waiting lists, whether they are expected to end within months or within four years.

He pressed the First Minister to apologise to voters for “misleading them” should the answer be the latter.

In response, Mr ap Iorwerth emphasised his ambitions to both cut waiting lists and build a sustainable health service in the long term.

He said: “I reiterate that a priority for us now is to tackle, in the coming months, those issues of the longest two-year waits. In fact, I’m not waiting for the next months, work has already begun to put in practice the changes that are necessary to tackle that very issue.”

The leader of the opposition continued with his focus on the NHS, suggesting that health should be the “top priority” for the Welsh Government.

He criticised Mr ap Iorwerth for highlighting international relations as within his remit as First Minister in a recent social media post.

Mr Thomas said: “On social media, you’ve highlighted the non-devolved matter of international relations as being within your remit as First Minister, an area which enjoys a £9 million budget.

“Reform believes that money should be spent here in Wales on the Welsh NHS. For example, it could be used to employ hundreds of newly-qualified nurses.

“So, First Minister, why are you continuing Labour’s policy of spending large sums of money abroad when it should be spent in Wales and we should be putting the people of Wales first?”

In response, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “Let’s be serious about the challenges that we face, rather than the small change that is referred to by the leader of the opposition.

“We are talking about significant sums of money that we are investing already through a budget deal last year into the NHS.

“I can assure you of this: it’s through innovation and it’s through working with staff within the NHS that we provide that sustainability for the future.”

The First Minister added: “I remind the leader of the opposition that he leads a group in Wales from a party whose leader does not believe in an NHS funded through general taxation.

“That is a principle that we will defend here as we deliver that NHS that’s fit for the future, for patients and for staff alike.”

The First Minister was also questioned on what assessment he had made of accident and emergency performance in Newport and Islwyn.

Reform’s Art Wright pressed the Plaid Cymru leader on whether he agreed the lack of a “full and properly functioning accident and emergency service” in Newport is having a “serious knock-on effect” on the wider communities.

Arthur Wright, Reform MS for Casnewydd Islwyn

The Casnewydd Islwyn MS said his constituents were facing longer journeys and increased waiting times with the hospitals facing growing pressure.

Acknowledging the need for “significant improvement on the current situation”, the First Minister noted that the Grange hospital “consistently falls short” of meeting the four-hour standard.

He said: “Latest performance figures are unsatisfactory. Prolonged waiting times continue to pose significant challenges.

“I couldn’t make it clearer than to say that my cabinet minister for health and care, and myself, want to see much more being done to provide the kind of level of care that the member references.”

Labour’s Jane Bryant drew on the work of the previous Welsh Labour government, claiming they had “invested significantly” in the Grange A&E because of “unacceptably long waits and corridor care”.

Jayne Bryant, Labour MS for Casnewydd Islwyn

Ms Bryant pressed the First Minister to share how the Welsh Government plans to fund the integration of pathways out of acute hospital care.

Recognising the importance of integration in creating a sustainable health and care service, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “What this government is determined to do is not just count the pennies but look at the outcomes that come out of investment, and that will guide us as a principle through the course of this government.”

Welsh Conservatives spokesperson for health and social care – and MS for Casnewydd Islwyn – Natasha Asghar described the state of the health service as “one of, if not the most important issues that matter to residents across Wales”.

Natasha Asghar, Conservative MS for Casnewydd Islwyn

Calling for the Welsh Government to engage with the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and explore reopening the A&E at the Royal Gwent, she claimed it would “not only” reduce pressures on the Grange but also create significant job opportunities.

The First Minister responded: “We hear the calls, as I will hear calls, no doubt, for investment in different parts of the country.

“What’s important to me, I think, is to recognise the challenges that are being faced by the member’s constituents, to put together a level of service that provides for the needs of her constituents.

“Welsh Government officials, NHS performance and improvement, and the health board are currently working together to agree an intervention approach based on the infrastructure that we have for the delivery of health. Let’s see where we can get on improving the services in that way.”

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths, also of Casnewydd Islwyn, referred to his own experience of treatment at both the Royal Gwent and the Grange, following a knee tendon tear last year – and said improving emergency care requires “looking at the entire patient journey, not just the targets”.

Peredur Owen Griffiths, Plaid Cymru MS for Casnewydd Islwyn

Health

Wales tops Britain for recognising alcohol as addictive

Published

28 minutes ago

June 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures suggest people in Wales are more likely than anywhere else in Britain to recognise that alcohol can be addictive.

A YouGov survey found that 86% of respondents in Wales described alcohol as addictive, compared with 78% across Britain.

The figure was higher than Scotland at 83%, the North and Midlands at 81%, the South at 77%, and London at 69%.

Health experts said the findings showed strong public awareness in Wales, but warned that knowledge alone may not prevent risky drinking, particularly during the summer months.

Dr Karen Faulkner, Associate Medical Director at Panthera Clinic, said alcohol remained deeply embedded in British social life.

She said: “Alcohol occupies a unique place in British culture because it is both legal and socially encouraged, which can make it difficult for people to recognise when their relationship with drinking is beginning to change.

“What’s particularly interesting is that most people understand alcohol can be addictive, yet many still underestimate how easily regular drinking can become habitual.”

The NHS advises adults not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis, spread over three or more days, with alcohol-free days included.

Dr Faulkner said summer events, holidays, festivals, barbecues, pub gardens and sporting occasions could make drinking feel more routine.

She added: “Dependence often develops gradually and doesn’t always fit the stereotypes people associate with addiction.

“The challenge isn’t necessarily a lack of awareness about alcohol’s risks. It’s recognising when a socially accepted habit has crossed the line into something that’s beginning to have a negative impact on your health, wellbeing or daily life.”

People trying to cut back are advised to plan alcohol-free days, alternate alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks, set limits before social events, try low or no-alcohol alternatives, and keep track of weekly intake.

Support is available in Wales through DAN 24/7, the Wales Drug and Alcohol Helpline, on 0808 808 2234.

Health

Wales facing worsening mental health crisis as financial hardship bites

Published

4 hours ago

June 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MORE than 720,000 adults in Wales are now living with poor mental health, according to a major new report which warns the nation continues to record the highest levels of psychological distress in the UK.

New analysis released by the Mental Health Foundation on Wednesday (June 10) found that an additional 278,000 adults in Wales are experiencing poor mental health compared to 2009.

The findings show that by 2024, more than one in four adults in Wales (27.3%) were affected – around 720,000 people – placing Wales 2.7 percentage points above the UK average of 24.6%.

The charity said worsening financial insecurity, poverty, austerity measures and the long-term effects of the Covid pandemic are continuing to hit Welsh communities hard.

A report based on 15 years of data from 40,000 people across the UK found Wales has reported higher levels of poor mental health than the UK average in 13 of the last 15 years.

Researchers said the situation worsened significantly after the pandemic, with Wales reaching a peak of 28% in 2022/23 – 5.2 percentage points above the UK average at the time.

Although figures have fallen slightly since then, Wales continues to record the highest levels of poor mental health in Britain.

The Mental Health Foundation said poverty remains a major factor, with around one in five people in Wales living in poverty over the last two decades.

It warned that more than half of those affected are now living in “very deep poverty”, leading to chronic stress, financial hardship and greater mental health difficulties.

Catherine Razzell, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Mental Health Foundation, said the findings reveal a “worrying and consistent pattern” in Wales.

“Whilst figures show the levels of poor mental health in other UK nations have tracked together, Wales has diverged from the rest of the UK – this is deeply concerning,” she said.

“Things need to change in order to protect the people of Wales from poor mental health and for the next generation. This is not just on an individual basis, but at a systemic level.”

The charity welcomed the Welsh Government’s planned pilot of the new Welsh Child Payment, known as Cynnal, and said prevention-focused policies would be key to improving outcomes.

However, it said progress would require cooperation between Cardiff Bay and Westminster due to the range of economic and social policies affecting mental wellbeing.

The report, titled The state of mental health, analysed data collected between 2009 and 2024 using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), a recognised measure used to identify likely mental health disorders across populations.

The Welsh Government has previously pledged to improve mental health support through its cross-government Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Wales covering 2025 to 2035.

Health

Rural social care in west Wales ‘left to pick up the pieces’

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CLAIRE ARCHIBALD MS has challenged the First Minister over pressures facing rural social care in west Wales, warning that families in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion are being left without the support they need.

The Reform UK Member of the Senedd for Ceredigion Penfro raised the issue during First Minister’s Questions, saying reductions in the clinical role of rural hospitals had not been matched by proper investment in community care.

Ms Archibald, who has previously worked as a carer, said the impact was being felt by patients stuck in hospital, families struggling to secure support, and people unable to spend their final days at home.

She told the Senedd: “Across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, Labour has reduced the clinical role in our rural hospitals, but the community care to fill the gap has simply not been put in place.

“The results are delayed discharges, families left struggling, and many people denied the chance to spend their final days at home with their loved ones.

“We have providers across west Wales handing back contracts, refusing referrals and shelving expansion because they cannot recruit the workforce.

“So, after 26 years of Labour-led government supported by your party, isn’t it the truth that rural social care has been neglected and left to pick up the pieces?

“What concrete action will your government take to restore front-line social care in west Wales?”

Following the exchange, Ms Archibald said the issue was not simply about policy, but about real families being placed in impossible situations.

She said: “I have seen first-hand how important good care is, both for the person who needs support and for the family around them.

“When community care is not there, people stay in hospital longer than they need to, families are left fighting for help, and people lose the chance to be cared for at home.

“This is especially serious in rural areas like Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, where distance, workforce shortages and reduced local services all make the pressure worse.

“For too long, rural social care has been left to carry the burden while services are taken away elsewhere.

“People in west Wales deserve better than warm words. They need clear action, proper workforce planning, and front-line care that actually reaches them.”

Ms Archibald said she would continue pressing the Welsh Government on delayed discharges, care package shortages, workforce pressures and the need to protect services in rural communities.