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| Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood offers alternative NHS plans | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has announced an "alternative way forward" on hospital reorganisation plans at her party's annual conference. | |
| Labour has accused her of blocking a controversial shake-up of some specialist services without suggesting alternatives. | Labour has accused her of blocking a controversial shake-up of some specialist services without suggesting alternatives. |
| Ms Wood started her speech by saying Plaid would build on recent momentum. | |
| She said this would "carry us forward over the finishing line" to win the assembly election in 2016. | |
| "It isn't a sprint but a marathon and I'm firing the starting pistol here today." | |
| Welsh Labour ministers have insisted closing some hospitals and moving some core services from smaller to larger hospitals are essential to make the NHS safe and sustainable. | Welsh Labour ministers have insisted closing some hospitals and moving some core services from smaller to larger hospitals are essential to make the NHS safe and sustainable. |
| Some of the most controversial have been in south Wales, with opposition to proposals to move key specialist care from Llantrisant's Royal Glamorgan hospital as part of changes at five health boards. | Some of the most controversial have been in south Wales, with opposition to proposals to move key specialist care from Llantrisant's Royal Glamorgan hospital as part of changes at five health boards. |
| Ms Wood said Plaid was committed to delivering a better Welsh NHS with 1,000 extra doctors. | |
| "We will provide more doctors to these services can stay open and stay safe," she said. | |
| Money would be raised by levy of up to 20p a litre on sugary drinks. | |
| Ms Wood said there was a "crisis of obesity and diabetes that was killing us as a nation." | |
| Plaid has said previously Wales can learn from how Norway, Germany and Denmark have offered modern hospital care without centralisation. | |
| Disappointing performance | Disappointing performance |
| The party has argued planning the NHS workforce more effectively and better recruitment practices would help reduce some of the strains on the health service. | The party has argued planning the NHS workforce more effectively and better recruitment practices would help reduce some of the strains on the health service. |
| Ms Wood said Plaid Cymru was the only party addressing people's big concerns at the 2016 assembly election and that "Wales is better than this". | |
| She said she was committed to Plaid being the next government of Wales "so we can build Wales up, turn around the economic situation, stand on our own two feet." | |
| Plaid Cymru also points to the budget deal it signed with the Liberal Democrats and Welsh ministers earlier in the week which put more money into treating patients in the community as a way of both improving services and keeping more patients out of hospital. | Plaid Cymru also points to the budget deal it signed with the Liberal Democrats and Welsh ministers earlier in the week which put more money into treating patients in the community as a way of both improving services and keeping more patients out of hospital. |
| Opening the conference, party health spokeswoman and Ceredigion AM Elin Jones said there was an urgent need to modernise an NHS that was failing. | Opening the conference, party health spokeswoman and Ceredigion AM Elin Jones said there was an urgent need to modernise an NHS that was failing. |
| "Currently the systems are crashing, the paperwork is paralysing and the blockages are choking the NHS," she said. | "Currently the systems are crashing, the paperwork is paralysing and the blockages are choking the NHS," she said. |
| "We face ambulance queues at A&E doors this winter." | "We face ambulance queues at A&E doors this winter." |
| Plaid Cymru, she said, would not allow "professional and institutional barriers" to get in the way of "an effective and efficient NHS". | Plaid Cymru, she said, would not allow "professional and institutional barriers" to get in the way of "an effective and efficient NHS". |
| "Plaid Cymru is a lone voice in advocating the full integration of health services and adult social care," she said. | "Plaid Cymru is a lone voice in advocating the full integration of health services and adult social care," she said. |
| This would end a "turf war" between local councils and health boards over who paid for the care of "individuals in need", she argued. | This would end a "turf war" between local councils and health boards over who paid for the care of "individuals in need", she argued. |
| Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards attacked Labour at Westminster for promising to stick to the spending plans of the UK coalition government "lock, stock and barrel". | Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards attacked Labour at Westminster for promising to stick to the spending plans of the UK coalition government "lock, stock and barrel". |
| "There is a direct correlation between the demise of Westminster to an ideas-free conformity, its subservience to the economic elite - and the growing support for Welsh democratic institutions. | "There is a direct correlation between the demise of Westminster to an ideas-free conformity, its subservience to the economic elite - and the growing support for Welsh democratic institutions. |
| "We in Wales know that no matter what the colour of the government in London, the trajectory of political travel will remain the same." | "We in Wales know that no matter what the colour of the government in London, the trajectory of political travel will remain the same." |
| All party members who attend the two-day conference will be able to vote on the motions debated. Until now that was reserved for delegates representing various sections of the party. | All party members who attend the two-day conference will be able to vote on the motions debated. Until now that was reserved for delegates representing various sections of the party. |
| The change is part of internal reforms brought in following Plaid Cymru's disappointing performance at the 2011 assembly election. | The change is part of internal reforms brought in following Plaid Cymru's disappointing performance at the 2011 assembly election. |
| Ms Wood will also promote plans to cut business rates for smaller firms on the opening day of the two-day Aberystwyth event. | Ms Wood will also promote plans to cut business rates for smaller firms on the opening day of the two-day Aberystwyth event. |
| Firms would qualify for reduced business rates if their rateable values was below £15,000, rather than £12,000 under the current regime. | Firms would qualify for reduced business rates if their rateable values was below £15,000, rather than £12,000 under the current regime. |
| A rateable value below £10,000 would mean paying no business rates, rather than the £6,000 ceiling at present. | A rateable value below £10,000 would mean paying no business rates, rather than the £6,000 ceiling at present. |
| The party will also unveil its slogan for next year's European election - "Wales First" - emphasising its claim that Plaid is the only party whose priority is the interest of Wales. | The party will also unveil its slogan for next year's European election - "Wales First" - emphasising its claim that Plaid is the only party whose priority is the interest of Wales. |
| Ms Wood has also defended her party's election performances since devolution. | Ms Wood has also defended her party's election performances since devolution. |
| With the SNP in government in Scotland, she was asked on BBC Radio Wales why the Scottish nationalists had moved so much further on than Plaid. | With the SNP in government in Scotland, she was asked on BBC Radio Wales why the Scottish nationalists had moved so much further on than Plaid. |
| "I think it reflects the different settlement that Wales has had compared to Scotland," said Ms Wood. | "I think it reflects the different settlement that Wales has had compared to Scotland," said Ms Wood. |
| "Scotland is so much further ahead in terms of the devolution settlement and Wales is in a different place. | "Scotland is so much further ahead in terms of the devolution settlement and Wales is in a different place. |
| "Our settlement is much weaker as is our economic situation and that's why I've said since I've become the leader of Plaid Cymru that the economy and job creation should be our number one priority. | "Our settlement is much weaker as is our economic situation and that's why I've said since I've become the leader of Plaid Cymru that the economy and job creation should be our number one priority. |
| "I would argue that Scotland has got a government that puts Scotland first and Scottish communities first at every opportunity and Wales needs a government now that will do that and I would argue that a Plaid Cymru government after 2016 is what the country needs now." | "I would argue that Scotland has got a government that puts Scotland first and Scottish communities first at every opportunity and Wales needs a government now that will do that and I would argue that a Plaid Cymru government after 2016 is what the country needs now." |
| SNP MP Pete Wishart urged Plaid activists to join in with the campaign. | SNP MP Pete Wishart urged Plaid activists to join in with the campaign. |
| To enthusiastic applause, he told the conference: "We will win, because independence is the aspiration...that puts the future of Scotland in the hands of the people who live and work in Scotland." | To enthusiastic applause, he told the conference: "We will win, because independence is the aspiration...that puts the future of Scotland in the hands of the people who live and work in Scotland." |