James Evans MS has welcomed the Welsh Government’s commitment to greater transparency in the NHS but warned that “words alone won’t restore public trust” without real accountability and consistent follow-through across health boards.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles MS announced plans for more openness in NHS decision-making, including public accountability meetings with health boards, improved access to performance data, and new reforms to the complaints system known as Listening to People. He said transparency was “crucial to creating an open, self-improving culture” within the health service.
In response, James said too many people still feel that decisions are made for them, not with them, and called for real transparency around how health boards make decisions, particularly in rural areas like Brecon and Radnorshire.
James Evans MS said:
“I don’t think anybody can argue against a more transparent NHS, people need confidence in the service when they use it and when they make complaints. But too often, residents tell me decisions are being made in the dark, with minutes missing and public views ignored. That’s not transparency, that’s exclusion.
“We’ve seen failures in maternity and neonatal services, and bereaved parents still saying lessons aren’t being learned. The Cabinet Secretary needs to ensure best practice is shared across every health board, because without that, the same mistakes will keep happening.
“Transparency must come with accountability. If the Cabinet Secretary isn’t happy with how health boards respond, what powers will he use to make change happen? It’s OK to hold public meetings, but what matters most is that the public are actually listened to, decisions are explained, and the data being published is accurate, verified, and meaningful.”
