'This is fantasy accounting at its best' - Kirsty Williams' response to Government's NHS press release
Originally published by Welsh Liberal Democrats
Responding to the Health Minister's 'remarkable achievement' claim regarding the financial position of Welsh LHBs, Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrat said:
"I am absolutely flabbergasted that the Health Minister can call this a 'remarkable achievement'. What's remarkable is that the Health Minster thinks that this is an achievement.
"Local Health Boards have a statutory obligation to balance their books and break even at the end of the financial year. It is clear, even in the Health Minister's statement, that three of the seven health boards haven't met their 2011-2012 financial targets. What they are doing is taking money from their 2012-13 allocation to cover up their financial incompetence from 2011-2012.
"This is another way for Welsh Government to hide the debts that are building up in the NHS, debts that could add up over time to potentially dangerous levels. This is fantasy accounting at its best - or worst!
"The Health Minister should be embarrassed and ashamed for issuing a statement like this."