WELSH CONSERVATIVES have called on the Welsh Government to set out what action it will take to tackle antisemitism in the Welsh NHS.

Natasha Asghar MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, has written to Health Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor following recommendations made by Lord Mann, the UK Government’s independent adviser on antisemitism.

The letter follows Lord Mann’s UK-wide review and asks what steps, if any, the Welsh Government intends to take in NHS Wales.

Lord Mann’s review recommended banning NHS staff from wearing political badges on uniforms, strengthening accountability for NHS managers, and improving the recording and monitoring of racist incidents.

In her letter, Ms Asghar said the NHS should be “an apolitical organisation, where everyone feels safe”.

She said: “It is incredibly alarming that Lord Mann’s report revealed evidence of routine ostracism of Jewish staff in the NHS, with some leaving, and highlighted that Jewish people are avoiding seeking care due to fear of being subjected to antisemitism.

“With increased attacks and threats against Jewish communities, now is the time to act and the Welsh Government has a responsibility to do just that.

“The Cabinet Minister for Health must urgently outline what action the government will be taking within the Welsh NHS to combat antisemitism.”

Ms Asghar has asked whether the Welsh Government will commit to bringing forward a ban on NHS staff wearing political badges on uniforms.

The Herald has approached the Welsh Government for comment.

PATIENTS must be given clear answers over when two-year NHS waits will be eliminated in Wales, opposition parties have said.

The row followed a statement in the Senedd by the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, with questions raised over whether Plaid Cymru can maintain recent progress on waiting lists while delivering its own health pledges.

Welsh Labour said NHS waiting lists had fallen for ten consecutive months before the change of government, but warned that the new administration must not allow that progress to stall.

Ken Skates MS, Welsh Labour’s interim leader and spokesperson for health and care, said: “NHS waiting lists have now fallen for ten consecutive months and it’s now Plaid Cymru’s responsibility to ensure this progress doesn’t falter.

“We’re already hearing conflicting timelines from the Plaid Cymru First Minister and Health Minister on when two-year waits will be eliminated, with neither willing to answer the question. Patients deserve answers, not confusion.”

The Welsh Conservatives have also criticised the new government, claiming patients were being left with uncertainty after different messages were given about how quickly the longest waits could be cleared.

During the election campaign, the First Minister said two-year waits would be eliminated within months. However, the new Health Minister has since suggested the task could take longer.

The Welsh Government says reducing long waits remains a priority and that ministers are working with health boards to improve access to treatment, diagnostics and urgent care.

Plaid Cymru has argued that the NHS in Wales cannot be turned around overnight and says the new administration has inherited deep pressures across the health service, including demand on hospitals, delayed transfers of care, workforce shortages and financial constraints.

Health remains one of the most politically sensitive issues in Wales, with patients across the country continuing to face long waits for operations, appointments and diagnosis.

For families waiting for treatment, the political arguments in Cardiff Bay will matter less than whether appointments come through and whether the longest delays are finally brought down.

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is to convene an emergency summit after The Herald revealed that newly qualified paramedics in Wales had been left without paramedic jobs despite continuing pressure on the ambulance service.

The Herald previously reported that dozens of Newly Qualified Paramedic graduates were facing uncertainty after completing their training, with no available NQP posts within the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust.

The issue has now been confirmed by Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor in response to a written question from Welsh Conservative MS Darren Millar.

Mr ap Gwynfor said there are 82 graduates and no available NQP roles within WAST this year.

He said the situation reflected a “temporary mismatch” between the number of graduates and the availability of funded vacancies, driven by financial constraints and service redesign.

However, he confirmed that 62 of the graduates have secured Emergency Medical Technician roles within WAST, although not paramedic posts.

Of those, 42 have been allocated training courses in September and October, while a further twenty have been placed on a reserve list either to replace anyone who withdraws or to be allocated to a course in early 2027.

The minister said the issue was not limited to Wales, with restrictions on available posts being seen nationally.

He added that the Welsh Government was working with WAST, Health Education and Improvement Wales, universities and professional bodies to identify potential solutions.

A stakeholder summit will now be held later this month to consider immediate support for graduates who have not secured a post and longer-term action to stop the same situation happening again.

Pressure on ambulance services

The development comes at a time when ambulance services in Wales remain under sustained pressure, with delays, hospital handover problems and concerns over patient care continuing to affect communities across the country.

For new readers, the controversy centres on the gap between workforce training and actual funded jobs.

Paramedic students have completed their qualifications at a time when the NHS continues to face demand for emergency care, yet the ambulance trust does not currently have the funded vacancies to employ them as paramedics.

Welsh Conservatives said the situation demanded a full explanation.

Natasha Asghar MS, Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care, welcomed the summit but said it would be “of little comfort” to graduates who had expected paramedic jobs to be available.

She said: “Vague references to financial pressures and service redesign have been cited as reasons for the situation, but this isn’t good enough.

“We need a proper explanation of how we got to this extraordinary situation where we have newly qualified paramedics, who are much-needed in the service, but there aren’t suitable jobs for them.

“This is unforgivable at a time when all efforts need to be focused on driving down waiting times, ending corridor care at A&E units and improving patient care.

“We look forward to the summit coming to clear conclusions about what actions the new government can take to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”