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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Health research budget 'threat' | Health research budget 'threat' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Three dozen medical professionals claim the Welsh Assembly Government's draft budget cuts funding for health and social care research and development. | Three dozen medical professionals claim the Welsh Assembly Government's draft budget cuts funding for health and social care research and development. |
| A letter to the first minister warns a key assembly government pledge - the proposed National Institute for Health Research - will fail to be delivered. | A letter to the first minister warns a key assembly government pledge - the proposed National Institute for Health Research - will fail to be delivered. |
| It is understood a senior clinician seconded to an assembly government post quit after the budget was published. | It is understood a senior clinician seconded to an assembly government post quit after the budget was published. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government said funding discussions were continuing. | The Welsh Assembly Government said funding discussions were continuing. |
| The letter, seen by BBC Wales, is signed by 36 of some of Wales's most senior medical experts. | The letter, seen by BBC Wales, is signed by 36 of some of Wales's most senior medical experts. |
| They include the former Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dame Deirdre Hine, now Chair of the Wales Cancer Institute Partners Forum, and Baroness Professor Ilora Finlay, of Llandaff, an expert in palliative care. | They include the former Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dame Deirdre Hine, now Chair of the Wales Cancer Institute Partners Forum, and Baroness Professor Ilora Finlay, of Llandaff, an expert in palliative care. |
| Discussions between ministers on further allocations for medical research and development are still ongoing. Welsh Assembly Government spokesman | Discussions between ministers on further allocations for medical research and development are still ongoing. Welsh Assembly Government spokesman |
| The signatories said the current allocation for health and social care research and development in Wales has been cut by £1m, when they claim it is already far below its English equivalent. | The signatories said the current allocation for health and social care research and development in Wales has been cut by £1m, when they claim it is already far below its English equivalent. |
| Professor John Wagstaff, a cancer specialist at Swansea, told BBC Wales: "The [research and development] budget at the moment is about £26m. We'd understood that that would rise to £46m currently, and that that would go up to £58m by 2010/11." | |
| The clinicians argued in their letter the proposed National Institute for Health Research for Wales, promised by the assembly government, will fail to be delivered on the current allocation. | |
| 'Commitment' | |
| They claimed the draft budget "appears to be in complete contradiction of the assembly government's priorities, as stated by [Finance Minister] Andrew Davies recently of 'encouraging innovation and building a knowledge economy'". | They claimed the draft budget "appears to be in complete contradiction of the assembly government's priorities, as stated by [Finance Minister] Andrew Davies recently of 'encouraging innovation and building a knowledge economy'". |
| The letter concluded: "We urge you to reconsider the ongoing allocation for health and social care related research and development. | The letter concluded: "We urge you to reconsider the ongoing allocation for health and social care related research and development. |
| "Where is the long term commitment to the strategic uplift of R&D funding in Wales to which you committed yourself recently?" | "Where is the long term commitment to the strategic uplift of R&D funding in Wales to which you committed yourself recently?" |
| Another signatory, Baroness Ilora Finlay, a world expert on palliative care, said: "We need to have an ongoing commitment - one year's funding is not gong to do anything. | |
| "We need a commitment to three-to-five years funding for research and development. | |
| "And we need to recognise that England is investing hugely in research. If we don't do the same, we will just fall behind." | |
| Conservative AM Jonathan Morgan, chair of the assembly's health committee, said he will raise the issue when it convenes on Wednesday. | |
| 'Discussions' | |
| He said: "We're talking about a letter which has been made public, signed by 36 leading clinicians - people who have contributed decades of research and clinical excellence to the heath service in Wales. | He said: "We're talking about a letter which has been made public, signed by 36 leading clinicians - people who have contributed decades of research and clinical excellence to the heath service in Wales. |
| "And we're being told that the clinician who was seconded to government has resigned. That is an astonishing position for us to be in in Wales." | "And we're being told that the clinician who was seconded to government has resigned. That is an astonishing position for us to be in in Wales." |
| In a statement, the assembly government said it was determined that Wales should play a full role in health and social care research developments. | In a statement, the assembly government said it was determined that Wales should play a full role in health and social care research developments. |
| An assembly government spokesman said: "Funding issues cut across more than one portfolio and discussions between ministers on further allocations for medical research and development are still ongoing." | An assembly government spokesman said: "Funding issues cut across more than one portfolio and discussions between ministers on further allocations for medical research and development are still ongoing." |