The Welsh NHS experienced it's busiest day ever on December 27 as people were hospitalised for flu, Covid and Strep A, Wales' First Minister has said.
Speaking at his first press conference of 2023 and looking to the year ahead, Mark Drakeford said he echoed the apology made last week by the chief executive of the NHS in Wales but couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't happen again next winter. Nor were special "field hospitals" a way to ease pressure on hospital capacity.
Facing GMB strike action this week, Mr Drakeford admitted the weeks ahead will be "challenging" but said the "draconian anti strike laws" announced by the government in England last week would "trample over the devolution settlement". He said: "Unlike the UK government, the Welsh Labour government does not believe that the response to strikes should be to bring forward such restrictive backward looking laws." Mr Drakeford said he recognised the strength of feeling among balloting members and decisions to strike are never "reached lightly".
