§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is proposing to take to improve the quality of health care in(a) Dyfed and (b) Wales.
§ Mr. Gwilym JonesThe health service in Wales has seen a significant improvement since 1979. By June.1993, the number of inpatients and day cases treated in our hospitals had increased by 71 per cent. and the number of out-patients had risen by 36 per cent. At the same time, the length of time people have to wait for treatment has never been shorter.
Next year, the spending on the NHS will increase by 5.1 per cent. in cash terms, a figure well in excess of inflation for the economy as a whole.
The NHS in Wales is committed to building on this impressive performance, and Dyfed will play its full part in providing better health care for patients.