Health

Apologies to victims of ‘the greatest scandal in the history of the NHS’

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

WALES’ health secretary apologised to victims of the contaminated blood scandal, describing it as the greatest treatment scandal in the history of the health service.

Leading a Senedd debate on the infected blood inquiry, Eluned Morgan said the Welsh Government has started work to consider Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations.

More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV or hepatitis C by contaminated blood between 1970 and 1991, with more than 3,000 people dying as a result.

She said: “We must do better than the denials, the false reassurances, the complacency, the cover-ups, the obfuscations and the repeated failures at an individual, institutional and government level that characterised and compounded this awful tragedy.”

Although the scandal predates devolution by decades, Baroness Morgan apologised to all those who were infected with tainted blood or have been affected by the disaster.

Mabon ap Gwynfor told the chamber Sir Brian’s report was an “utterly damning indictment of an entrenched culture of institutional abuse, governmental neglect and political obfuscation”.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary hoped the report would prove a watershed moment in addressing an imbalance of power at the heart of the criminal justice system.

He said: “From the Hillsborough disaster to the Post Office Horizon scandal, the wheels of justice can often turn far too slowly when it comes to the misdemeanours of the wealthy.”

Sam Rowlands, his Conservative counterpart, described the infected blood scandal as one of the most grotesque miscarriages of justice in British history.

He welcomed the Victims and Prisoners Bill, which will create an arm’s-length body to administer compensation to victims, passing through Parliament pre-general election.

Julie Morgan, who has campaigned on the issue for decades as an MS and an MP for Cardiff North, paid tribute to those who had their lives incomprehensibly turned upside down.

She said: “When haemophilia patients were told about their HIV diagnosis, it was a terrifying ordeal – a death sentence, with life-expectancy estimates of between two and five years.

“The stigma was horrendous and the majority of patients kept their status secret.”

Stressing the importance of implementing the recommendations, Ms Morgan warned many people are worried about false hope because it has taken 40 years to get to this point.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, who chairs the Senedd’s cross-party group on haemophilia and infected blood, agreed that the fight for justice must continue.

Mark Isherwood, the Conservative MS for North Wales, said the five-year inquiry found infected blood was not an accident and was avoidable.

He said: “Contaminated blood has had and continues to have a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of infected people and their families.”

John Griffiths, a Labour backbencher, who has represented Newport East since 1999, joined other members in paying tribute to campaigner Lynne Kelly, who chairs Haemophilia Wales.

Highlighting the stigma around HIV/AIDS at the time, he said the family home of Colin John Smith, who died aged seven weighing only 13lb, was daubed with abuse and graffiti.

Mr Griffiths told the chamber: “It was a terrible scandal and indictment of the systems at the time – and so many families suffered in the way that these families did.”

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams raised the concerns of two sisters from the Swansea valley, whose father Arwyn Davies died in 1992 due to the “appalling, unforgivable” scandal.

She said: “To date, children who lost parents, like Rhian and Sharon, have never been provided with compensation or recognition of their father’s death. They haven’t even received a letter of apology from their local health board.”

Hefin David, who is vice-chair of the cross-party group, paid tribute to campaigners in his constituency, including Nicholas Moran, Susan Hughes, Janet Morgan, and Kirk Ellis.

Wearing a tie in the campaign’s colours, the Labour MS for Caerphilly raised Mr Ellis’ concerns about the UK Government’s proposed lump-sum compensation scheme.

Dr David said: “He points out that in Scotland the Scottish Government has guaranteed that ongoing current support payments are for life, as well as the lump-sum compensation payments proposed by the UK Government in response to Sir Brian’s report.”

Outside the Senedd, Dr David said: “It has taken us a long time to get to where we are today, and it is a tribute to the hard work of campaigners and all those who have been affected by this scandal, whether directly or indirectly.

“The role of my constituents who have regularly contacted me about this issue over the years cannot be understated.

“I have done a lot of work with Kirk Ellis in particular, who is from Caerphilly. These residents wanted me to tell their story of how the infected blood scandal affected them and their loved ones, but they also want to raise concerns about how the UK Government could implement a proposed compensation scheme going forward”.

Dr David highlighted the need for the UK Government to work with the Welsh Government and implement the report’s recommendations “in full and without delay”.

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher said Debroah James, a constituent from Bridgend, has fought for 42 years to uncover the truth of the death of her brother, who was a police officer.

He said: “People in positions of authority vilified these families for raising concerns, accused them of lying, accused them of giving life to rumours. Corruption is the long and short of it, isn’t it – a bid to save money. What an indictment of our system.”

Labour backbencher Jenny Rathbone agreed that it is more than a treatment scandal, saying: “This is about a criminal cover-up.”

The Cardiff Central MS backed Sir Brian’s calls for a legal duty of candour for civil servants and ministers to ensure they are not “continuing to be less than candid with the truth”.

Acknowledging concerns about unrecognised cases, Baroness Morgan said part of the issue is problems with NHS records that are required to make compensation claims.

She said the Welsh Government has established a new infected blood inquiry group, chaired by Push Mangat, the new deputy chief medical officer, to consider the next steps.

She explained: “It will work with health boards, the Welsh Blood Service, Public Health Wales and policy officials to ensure we look at the wrongs of the past and work together to ensure this can never happen again.”

Closing the debate on June 4, Baroness Morgan said: “Tonight I think we unite as a chamber and as a parliament, and I’m sure you’ll join with me to pay tribute to those who have suffered as a result of this – the greatest scandal in the history of the NHS.”

MSs unanimously supported the Welsh Government motion and Plaid Cymru amendments.

Health

NHS Wales under renewed pressure as waiting lists and A&E delays grow

Published

2 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cancer treatment targets missed again as opposition says Plaid must share responsibility for health service performance

NHS WALES is facing renewed pressure after the latest performance figures showed waiting lists rising, cancer treatment targets being missed again and more patients waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments.

The figures come as the Welsh Government announced an additional £145m for NHS Wales, including £100m to reduce waiting times and £25m for new surgical hubs.

In April, performance against the 62-day target for patients starting cancer treatment fell to 56.7%, well below the 75% target.

In Swansea Bay, just 48.4% of cancer patients began treatment within the target time.

Treatment waiting lists also increased, with 680,003 patient pathways recorded in April. The estimated number of individual patients waiting for treatment stood at 536,500.

Two-year waits rose to 3,694. In England, the comparable figure was 191.

Emergency care also came under further strain in May. The proportion of patients spending less than four hours in Welsh emergency departments fell to 64.4%, against a target of 95%.

A total of 11,066 patients waited 12 hours or more before being admitted, transferred or discharged, up from 10,287 in April. The target is zero.

Ambulance performance remained under pressure. For red calls, the median response time improved to nine minutes and 12 seconds, but the 90th percentile increased to 22 minutes and 39 seconds, meaning response time targets were still not met.

Welsh Conservative criticism

The Welsh Conservatives said the figures showed a “worrying backslide” in NHS performance and accused Plaid Cymru of sharing responsibility for the state of the health service.

Natasha Asghar MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “These figures show a worrying backslide in NHS performance in Wales. Cancer treatment times have fallen, waiting lists have risen, two-year waits are up and more patients are being left waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments.

“Plaid Cymru cannot escape responsibility for this. They propped up the previous Welsh Labour Government by backing their budgets and are now in Government themselves. Patients across Wales need action, not more talk of improvement.

“Whilst any extra funding for the NHS is welcome, £145m will not be enough unless it is accompanied by urgent reform, a comprehensive workforce strategy and real delivery for patients.

“The Welsh Conservatives have been clear that the Welsh Government needs to declare a health emergency in our NHS. We need more beds in our hospitals, a robust NHS workforce and a serious plan to cut waiting lists and to support our emergency departments.”

Funding announced

The Welsh Government says the extra £145m will support work to reduce waiting times and improve access to treatment.

Of that, £100m has been allocated to reducing waiting lists, while £25m will be invested in new surgical hubs.

Health leaders have welcomed the additional funding, but warned that money alone will not solve the pressures facing hospitals, GP services, social care and emergency departments.

The latest figures are likely to increase pressure on ministers to show clear progress before the winter, when demand on the NHS is expected to rise further.

Welsh Government response

The Welsh Government said the figures related to April, before the new administration took office, and showed that both treatment waiting lists and the longest waits had increased.

Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said too many people were waiting too long for treatment, and said emergency care performance was not yet at the level patients and staff should expect.

He said: “Our focus is clear — cut waiting times, prioritise those who have been waiting the longest, improve access to services and build an NHS that can keep up with demand in the long term.

“To bring waiting times down and keep them down, we need to change the way the NHS works — making sure patients move through the system more smoothly, from their first referral all the way to treatment.

“We’ve got a plan to do this, working with the fantastic NHS staff right across Wales. The £145 million we’re announcing today will be important in tackling the waiting list and waiting times and helping people be seen quicker.”

The Welsh Government said £100m would be used to help reduce waiting lists and waiting times, £25m would be invested in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20m would go towards essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

Health

Welsh Government announces £145m NHS funding boost

Published

8 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NEW funding of £145 million has been announced for NHS Wales as ministers seek to cut waiting times, improve hospital facilities and increase capacity across the health service.

The package, announced as part of the Welsh Government’s Supplementary Budget for 2026 to 2027, includes money to reduce waiting lists, develop surgical and diagnostic hubs, and carry out essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

Health leaders and nursing representatives have welcomed the investment, but warned that money for buildings, equipment and waiting list initiatives must be backed by a wider plan for staffing, primary care, community services and social care.

The Welsh NHS Confederation said the additional funding was welcome, but called for a “whole-system” approach to health and care.

Its director, Darren Hughes, said: “NHS leaders in Wales welcome this additional funding for the NHS to reduce waiting times and make essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

“We also welcome the Health and Care Minister’s focus on developing a long-term strategy to address waiting times. We agree that a long-term solution is required to build sustainable capacity and drive whole-system improvements.”

Mr Hughes said strengthening primary and community care would be essential, including programmes designed to move more services closer to people’s homes.

He added: “Alongside improvements in primary care, we must also prioritise the social care sector.

“We would also welcome a broader and more balanced approach to how NHS and social care performance is measured and published. Focusing solely on waiting times does not provide a complete picture, and there needs to be more comprehensive data published across the breadth of the NHS and social care services.”

The Royal College of Nursing Wales also welcomed the investment, but warned that new facilities alone would not reduce waiting lists unless there were enough appropriately trained staff to run them.

Nicola Williams, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said investment in surgical and diagnostic hubs and essential maintenance had the potential to reduce delays, improve patient experience and increase NHS capacity.

But she said: “Buildings and equipment alone will not reduce waiting lists.

“Delivering sustainable improvements depends on having the right, appropriately trained and skilled workforce in place, and nurses will play a pivotal role in the provision of safe, effective and efficient care.”

RCN Wales said nursing staff across Wales were reporting rising patient complexity and demand, missed breaks, and difficulty providing the level of care patients need.

The union also raised concerns that newly qualified nurses had faced uncertainty about securing permanent employment, despite continued pressure on services.

Ms Williams said Wales could not afford to lose the talent and commitment of a generation of nursing graduates.

She added that any move towards strengthening primary and community care must be matched by investment in the nursing workforce needed to deliver those services.

The announcement will now raise questions about how much of the funding will reach west Wales, and whether Hywel Dda University Health Board patients will directly benefit from any new surgical or diagnostic hub.

No specific locations for the proposed hubs have yet been confirmed.

Health

£145m NHS Wales boost welcomed — but nurses warn staffing is key

Published

21 hours ago

June 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NEW NHS funding must be matched by proper workforce planning if it is to cut waiting lists and improve patient care, nursing leaders have warned.

The Royal College of Nursing Wales has responded to a Welsh Government announcement of an additional £145 million investment in NHS Wales.

The package includes £100 million in revenue funding to reduce waiting times, £25 million capital funding for new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20 million for essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

The Welsh Government says the investment is intended to increase capacity, speed up diagnosis and help more patients receive planned treatment more quickly.

Up to ten surgical and diagnostic hubs are expected to be developed across Wales over the next four years. These facilities are designed to carry out high-volume planned treatment and tests away from the day-to-day pressure of emergency hospital care.

But RCN Wales said the success of the plan would depend not only on buildings and equipment, but on having enough trained staff to run the services safely.

Nicola Williams, Executive Director of RCN Wales, said: “RCN Wales welcomes this additional investment in NHS Wales and the Welsh Government’s commitment to reducing waiting times and improving patient care and outcomes.

“Investment in surgical and diagnostic hubs, alongside funding for essential maintenance, has the potential to significantly improve our population’s health, reduce delays, improve experiences and increase NHS capacity.

“However, buildings and equipment alone will not reduce waiting lists. Delivering sustainable improvements depends on having the right, appropriately trained and skilled workforce in place, and nurses will play a pivotal role in the provision of safe, effective and efficient care.”

She said robust workforce modelling and planning would be “critically important” if the hubs were to achieve their ambitions.

The announcement comes as RCN Wales joins healthcare leaders, employers and government representatives at a Graduate Summit to discuss employment opportunities for this year’s nursing graduates.

RCN Wales said it welcomed the Welsh Government’s focus on the issue, but warned that newly qualified nurses had faced uncertainty about securing permanent employment despite continuing pressure across NHS services.

Ms Williams said: “Nursing staff are telling us consistently and across Wales that, despite there being no vacancies, there is insufficient staff to meet increasing patient complexity and demand.

“Nurses are going without breaks and feel most shifts that they are unable to give the care that patients need.

“It is therefore deeply concerning that newly qualified nurses have faced uncertainty about securing substantive employment.

“Wales cannot afford to lose the talent, skills and commitment of a generation of nursing graduates that our health and care services desperately need.”

RCN Wales said retaining newly qualified nurses was essential for the future sustainability of NHS and social care services.

The union also welcomed the Welsh Government’s commitment to strengthening primary and community care, but said any shift towards treating people closer to home must be matched by investment in the nursing workforce.

Ms Williams added: “Nurses are central to delivering care closer to home and helping people stay healthier for longer.

“Any shift in resources towards primary care must be matched by investment in the nursing workforce needed to deliver these ambitions.”

The key question for west Wales is whether any of the proposed surgical or diagnostic hubs will be located in the Hywel Dda area, and whether Pembrokeshire patients will see a direct benefit from the new funding.

No specific locations have yet been confirmed.

RCN Wales said it looked forward to working with the Welsh Government and health service partners to ensure the investment delivered lasting improvements for patients and supported the nursing workforce on which those improvements depend.