The Government are behaving in a desperate and improper fashion, while waiting lists are at record levels, beds are being closed in spite of the looming Winter Bed Crisis, £170 million has been spent each year on the bureaucracy of the internal market in Scotland and two-tierism is undermining the fundamental principles of the NHS - with the open support of the Minister as expressed earlier this month.
To deal with the Winter Bed Crisis, north Gwent received only 22.
An article in the Western Mail entitled "Heart patients 'dying needlessly- stated: "Consultant cardiologist Dr. Tony Davies said patients needing urgent heart treatment were being turned away because their beds were taken by emergency medical admissions … Dr. Davies and his … colleague consultant cardiologist Dr. Mike Stephens said heart patients' appointments were cancelled every day as the Winter Beds Crisis worsened … "People are dying because of a lack of beds,' said Dr. Davies".
An article in the Western Mail entitled "Heart patients 'dying needlessly- stated:Consultant cardiologist Dr. Tony Davies said patients needing urgent heart treatment were being turned away because their beds were taken by emergency medical admissions …Dr. Davies and his … colleague consultant cardiologist Dr. Mike Stephens said heart patients' appointments were cancelled every day as the Winter Beds Crisis worsened …People are dying because of a lack of beds,' said Dr. Davies".
Does my hon. Friend agree that another welcome change from those dark Tory days is that we have not had a Winter Beds Crisis, which used to be an annual event under the Conservatives?
Phrases such as "Winter Beds Crisis" and "waiting on trolleys" have gone out of the vocabulary.
Can he tell the House when there was last a Winter Bed Crisis in the NHS?
Following the last piercing question fromthe hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Rob Marris) and my hon. Friend's answer that the last time that we had a Winter Bed Crisis was under this Labour Government, will my hon. Friend now answer another question?
The incoming Labour Government were determined to avoid the winter pressures - the Winter Beds Crisis - that we had witnessed in the previous few winters under the Conservatives.