'NHS won't be privatised' both Welsh Labour leadership candidates pledge on campaign trail

Jeremy Miles and Vaughan Gething spoke to ITV Cymru Wales separately about the NHS on the campaign trail

The NHS is at the centre of the Welsh Labour leadership contest which stepped up a gear today. 

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething is one contender and has made the health service the centre of his first policy announcement of the campaign.

He vows to keep spending levels above those seen on the NHS in England and never to privatise the service if he becomes First Minister. 

This stance was echoed by his rival, Education Minister Jeremy Miles, who said “patient wellbeing is at the absolute heart" of his vision for the future of the NHS.

But the Conservatives have said the blame for the NHS’ problems in Wales lay with Welsh Labour ministers who have “broken” the service. 

Vaughan Gething delivered his pledge during a visit to supporters in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

He said he would ensure an “outcome-based healthcare system” and told supporters: “Working with partners across the health sector, I would champion the internationally recognised outcome-based healthcare model across Wales.”

Mr Gething, previously health minister in the Welsh government, regularly faced criticism for long waiting times for hospital treatment. 

Asked if he should be concentrating on bringing those waiting times down he told ITV Wales: “What we’re looking to do is improve the way our service works together with patients and with the service itself. 

“So this isn’t about saying there’s a quick fix; it is about saying the long-term direction is about how we deal with waiting times, how we have a real quality in the outcomes we deliver for people and having a long-term vision that properly commits to having a properly public national health service here in Wales.”

He also said the policy was a “personal one,” adding “in the year after my A-levels, I developed a kidney disease, known as nephrotic syndrome."

Mr Gething continued: "For a while, there was no good news in sight. At 19 years old my parents told me that they would donate one of their own kidneys to keep me alive and healthy."

He added: "It was only when the drug the NHS was trialling for my condition stabilised my condition that I was once again able to look to a future with a sense of optimism.  

"Like for so many of us, the NHS was there for me when I needed it.  And I promise that I will always, always be there for the NHS."

But Mr Gething's pledges have been faced criticism from his Andrew RT Davies MS, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives.

Mr Davies said: “It is clear that Vaughan Gething is completely oblivious to what is needed to fix the health service he and his colleagues have broken.

“Despite receiving extra funding for the NHS from the UK government, Labour ministers choose to spend that money on vanity projects while health staff and patients struggle with a crumbling service.

“A Welsh Conservative government would spend the whole uplift on our NHS.” 

Visiting Wrexham, Jeremy Miles made the same healthcare pledge as his competitor. 

He told ITV Wales: "I am absolutely committed to an NHS in public hands, publicly delivered” and added “I've seen the effects of that in my own life, in that of my family and people right across Wales depend on it, day in and day out."

But he said choosing not to privatise the NHS does not mean that it should not change.

Mr Miles continueds: "That doesn't mean that the health service does not need to adapt and there are all sorts of good ways the NHS is innovating right across Wales. 

"The key is for us to help the NHS to adapt in that way, to face the current pressures and future pressures but to do that within an NHS that is in public hands and publicly delivered."

He commented "person-centred care" is a "fundamental commitment" he will make and "focusing on the health outcomes of people across Wales is absolutely vital".

"I think the best way of delivering that is through an NHS in public hands, publicly delivered, which is why I am so passionately committed to that," Mr Miles added.

The Welsh education minister said he would be a first minister who would get "out and about" across Wales - highlighting the importance of "stay[ing] in touch" with all regions, making time to visit and speaking with people about the issues affecting them the most.

Reflecting on his visit to North Wales today, he said: "It's been great talking to people about their thoughts and views and it's been a great opportunity for me to outline to them some of my priorities for North Wales."

When asked if he thought North Wales got its fair share of investment and attention, he said: "North Wales is treated exactly the same way as South Wales, but I think part of the challenge for us as politicians is to spend our time in communities making that case and reminding people but also listening to people."

Mr Miles spent the day discussing economic opportunity, cross-border working and the transport system in North Wales.

But he was also asked about what he would do to tackle the issues at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board. 

He said: "We've got a new leadership team and we want to work with them to improve the situation.

"Also, if you listen to the health workforce, the patients, the public, they will all talk about how things can be improved and there's always room for improvement." 

Jeremy Miles added: "In all parts of the Welsh NHS, there are good examples of innovation. One of the challenges for us maybe, is how we can make sure that is spread more quickly throughout the NHS more generally."

The 20mph limit has been a contentious issue since the policy was implemented in September and Mr Miles has committed to a review as first minister.

He said: "The reason we have a 20mph default limit is because it saves lives, and I think it is a good policy for achieving that aim. 

"The Welsh government has already committed to doing a review of the implementation of that, it has been variable in different parts of Wales, and what I have said is that I would bring that review forward so that we'll get it underway within the first week of me becoming first minister.

"We can see what's happening and if more guidance needs to be given about the digressions which councils already have within that national framework then that's an opportunity to do that."

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