WELSH Conservatives will force a Senedd vote today to protect the health budget from further cuts in 2023/24.

Calling the restoration of the NHS the “number one priority” for the Welsh Conservatives, Shadow Minister for Health Russell George MS has claimed the service is being “shortchanged”.

A Welsh Government spokesperson has disputed the Welsh Conservatives’ quoted figures as “wrong”.

Last Wednesday, September 13, the Welsh Government announced that all seven health boards in Wales had been handed escalation status as a result of “extreme financial challenges”.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which serves south East Wales, is forecasting a £112 million deficit for this financial year, which it attributes to increased demand for NHS services, rising costs and other workforce challenges.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan MS said it was a “disappointing” but necessary measure.

“We do not make these decisions lightly and it reflects the very difficult financial position we are in, as a result of inflation and austerity, and the challenges affecting health boards.”

This Wednesday, September 20, the Welsh Conservatives will call on the government to protect the health budget from further budget cuts in this financial year.

They will also contend that Wales only spends a fraction of their additional health funding per head, when compared to England, on health.

“We know that Labour is only spending £1.05 of the £1.20 that they receive for every £1 spent on health in England – our Welsh NHS is being shortchanged," Mr George said.

“At the very least, Labour should vote with us and commit to no further cuts to our health service to limit the damage they have done so far. Restoring our Welsh NHS is the number one priority for the Welsh Conservatives.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson has denied this claim ahead of the Senedd motion, saying: “These figures are wrong; the most recent data shows we spend 14 per cent more per person on health and social care than in England.

“Our budget this year, after the UK Spring Budget in March, is up to £900m lower in real terms than we expected at the time of the 2021 spending review.”