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NHS commission idea scrapped by Welsh government Lib-Dem and Tory leaders clash over NHS commission plan
(35 minutes later)
Plans to form a cross-party commission on the future of the NHS in Wales have been scrapped.Plans to form a cross-party commission on the future of the NHS in Wales have been scrapped.
The decision came after Plaid Cymru announced it would not take part, following on from the Conservatives who previously pulled out.The decision came after Plaid Cymru announced it would not take part, following on from the Conservatives who previously pulled out.
The leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams said the decision would leave patients in Wales disappointed. The commission was meant to be a place for the parties to debate freely the future of the NHS.
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams said the collapse would leave patients in Wales disappointed.
But in heated exchange, the Welsh Tory leader criticised the whole process.But in heated exchange, the Welsh Tory leader criticised the whole process.
Andrew RT Davies said his party had been presented with an invitation to take part in the commission in a letter that already set out the panel's terms of reference. Plans for a commission were revealed in February, when the Welsh health minister Mark Drakeford wrote to the Lib-Dem leader setting out an agreement in principle.
Confirming the offer of a commission at the time, Mr Drakeford said: "Discussions about the long-term future of the Welsh NHS should sit outside the knockabout of day-to-day party politics."
The proposal would have seen a year-long cross-party investigation into how the NHS in Wales could be improved.
It was due to convene in April.
But Plaid said on Tuesday that it was "not the appropriate time", a year before assembly elections.
Sticking point
The Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said his party had been forced to reject the plans because the terms of reference for the commission had already been set out.
"So no discussion around the terms of reference, the reporting lines agreed," he told BBC Radio Wales."So no discussion around the terms of reference, the reporting lines agreed," he told BBC Radio Wales.
"If you want an all-party group to have genuine consensus and the ideas are valued equally, then you do have to get people on board at the outset.""If you want an all-party group to have genuine consensus and the ideas are valued equally, then you do have to get people on board at the outset."
The Lib Dem leader rejected accusations by the Tories that her party had jumped the gun after going public on plans for the commission. Mr Davies accused the Liberal Democrats of jumping the gun by going public on proposals for a commission.
"If the Tories and Plaid Cymru are serious about trying to improve the health service for the patients in Wales and the staff that work in it, they could still - even at this stage - say 'we want to be a part of this'," she said. "Frankly, they were just trying ahead of the General Election to take some PR out of a very serious issue," he claimed.
Plaid explained its decision by saying it was "not the appropriate time", a year before assembly elections. But Ms Williams rejected the accusations, and told the Tory leader he was "taking his toys home" because of the delay in receiving the invitation to take part.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford proposed a 12-month commission beginning in April with an independent chairman and cross-party representation. "If the Tories and Plaid Cymru are serious about trying to improve the health service for the patients in Wales and the staff that work in it, they could still - even at this stage - say 'we want to be a part of this'," said the Liberal Democrat leader.
"This was an opportunity for all political parties to bring their ideas and their solutions, and more importantly than that, to hear from clinicians and patient representatives, to work together."
Analysis by BBC Wales political editor Nick ServiniAnalysis by BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini
The Welsh government had already priced in a refusal to take part in the commission by the Conservatives but still felt it could have gone ahead.The Welsh government had already priced in a refusal to take part in the commission by the Conservatives but still felt it could have gone ahead.
The rejection by Plaid is a game-changer and means that any attempt to get cross-party consensus on the future of health service this side of the next assembly elections will be abandoned.The rejection by Plaid is a game-changer and means that any attempt to get cross-party consensus on the future of health service this side of the next assembly elections will be abandoned.
Ironically, the idea of the commission was to find consensus and take the heat out of the debate. The opposite has happened.Ironically, the idea of the commission was to find consensus and take the heat out of the debate. The opposite has happened.
Plaid are saying now is the wrong time. Behind the scenes they are also unhappy with the way the story over talks between the Lib Dems and the Welsh government was broken on BBC Wales.Plaid are saying now is the wrong time. Behind the scenes they are also unhappy with the way the story over talks between the Lib Dems and the Welsh government was broken on BBC Wales.
Meanwhile, the Lib Dems have accused Plaid of putting politics before patients. And the Welsh government have blamed the Lib Dems.Meanwhile, the Lib Dems have accused Plaid of putting politics before patients. And the Welsh government have blamed the Lib Dems.
The upshot is that any kind of cross-party consensus on the future of the NHS is now not going to happen this side of the next Assembly elections.The upshot is that any kind of cross-party consensus on the future of the NHS is now not going to happen this side of the next Assembly elections.