Local Assembly Member Paul Davies has criticised Welsh Government figures that show over 6,000 people in west Wales are waiting more than nine months for treatment on the Welsh NHS. The figures for October 2015, show 6,202 people waiting over 36 weeks in the Hywel Dda health board area, compared with only 68 people in October 2011.

Mr Davies said: “I’m extremely concerned to see such an increase in the number of people desperately waiting to start treatment in our local communities. Figures have shown an increase of over 8000% which is absolutely unacceptable.”

He added, “It’s quite clear that local health services are under serious strain and the Welsh Government’s drive to centralise services away from local communities will do nothing to stop these figures. Since 2011, the Welsh Government has starved our health service of one billion pounds and it’s the frontline that has clearly taken the brunt. Action is now needed as a matter of urgency from Labour Ministers to turn this poor performance around.”