Yesterday, Conwy County Borough Council elected members joined Denbighshire County Council in declaring a health emergency. Following a motion tabled by the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives on the Council, Councillor Cheryl Carlisle, the Council, and supported by the Conservative group, plus members from all political parties including, the Council Leader, Julie Fallon, the motion was approved and voted through along with the five other leaders and members of the other Local Authorities in North Wales.
Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, welcomed this declaration, commenting:
“Every week I receive correspondence from my constituents seeking support for significantly delayed treatment times, poor experiences of care, and the inability to secure appointment times. This is unacceptable and is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the poor state of our health services.
“I share the concerns highlighted in the motion put before the Council, with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board having the highest number of preventable deaths in Wales, the continued use of corridor care, and the strain on council social care services.
“Along with my Welsh Conservative colleagues, I have championed the BEDS – Ending Corridor Care campaign and have spoken on many occasions about constituents refusing to go to hospital due to fears of being left in pain because of long waits.
“We must declare a Wales-wide health emergency. Only when we acknowledge the true scale of the crisis can we address the root causes of the issue.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS