A mid Wales MS has said the ‘NHS should not be immune from change’ during a debate on rural healthcare in the Senedd. James Evans MS led the short debate on the future of healthcare in rural Wales, highlighting significant challenges faced by communities across mid and west Wales. Over the course of the debate, Mr Evans touched on a number of issues including the erosion of frontline services in rural Wales.
He also criticised inefficiencies within the healthcare system, pointing out that patients in rural areas are often forced to travel long distances for appointments, and called for a more coordinated approach between health boards to improve service delivery. Mr Evans said patients are being “stranded in a web of bureaucracy and needless travel” and the NHS is “buckling under pressure”. “Our health boards may be under budgetary pressures, but there is no excuse for mismanagement,” he said.
The MS urged the Welsh Government to take a more active role in addressing the issues, calling for stronger oversight of health boards and a unified approach to healthcare delivery. Mr Evans also emphasised the critical role of GP practices in rural communities, which he warned are often struggling against health boards to provide even basic care. Mr Evans concluded his remarks with a call for bold reform of Wales' healthcare system.
“The NHS is not a sacred cow,” he told the Senedd. “It should not be immune from change.” Mr Evans said the people of rural Wales �.
