In a time of national austerity, when a day doesn’t go by without headlines of swathing cuts to budgets by the Tory government, I am delighted to report on the Labour Welsh Government has delivered on its NHS promise.

News that £1.1bn has been invested in the NHS over the past two years comes on the back of an increase in service demand.

Not only is Welsh Labour delivering on its pledge to support the health service,people in Wales are being treated faster and living longer with help from the care they receive.

An extra £178 is being spent on health for every person in Wales and the health budget is now the largest it has ever been and accounts for 46 percent of the Welsh Government’s total annual budget. The Welsh Labour Government is committed to continuing to invest in the NHS and work with health boards and NHS trusts to drive up standards and improve outcomes for patients.

Figures show that the NHS in Wales is performing better now than at any time since devolution with 650,000 more people being seen in outpatients every year; long waits for cardiac surgery have been wiped out; the standard wait for treatment was down to 10 weeks by July this year to name just a few.

When you put this against a 16.8 percent increase in A&E admissions; the number of people being referred for cancer treatment has trebled and waiting time targets have improved despite increased demand, it shows just how we in Wales are determined to support such a vital service and those dedicated clinicians who work for us.

Wales is not the poor relation when it comes to health, this proves it and Labour will remain loyal to its roots and continue to build on the great work being done by the NHS in our country.

In other news I would like to remind residents that I am having a street surgery in Ebbw Vale on Friday. Please stop by for a chat.