The state of the NHS shows that Eluned Morgan is “failing” as First Minister of Wales, Plaid Cymru has said.

Speaking at the start of the new Senedd term, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said 2025 would be a “crucial” year for Wales ahead of the Senedd elections next year.

The Plaid Cymru Leader said that Plaid Cymru would, over the next term, publish further details on its vision for leading Wales – beginning with a plan to bring NHS waiting times down.

Mr ap Iorwerth strongly criticised the record of the Labour First Minister, formerly the Health Minister, on missed NHS targets and said that the government had failed to deliver the changes needed to fix the NHS in Wales.

Waiting times hit another record high late last year with over 800,000 hospital patient pathways.

The party’s health spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor previously announced plans to reform the way the NHS is run in November last year – proposals that were well received by stakeholders.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said,

“A quarter of patients are currently waiting over eight hours in A&E, hospital waiting lists have topped 800,000, ambulance services are in crisis, and GP surgeries are closing. This is unacceptable.

“As Health minister, Eluned Morgan promised no patient would wait over 12 months for treatment by spring—a promise already broken by virtue of the fact she’s set a new target of bringing two year waits down to 8,000 by April – and based on December’s numbers even those figures are going in the wrong direction.

“This is a failure of delivery by a failing First Minister.

“2025 will be a crucial year for Wales. This year can be the beginning of the fresh start that Wales needs – with Plaid Cymru at the helm.”