James Evans is pressing the Welsh Government to improve community hospital facilities in Wales and to increase bed capacity.

The Brecon and Radnorshire MS said at the Senedd that First Minister, Eluned Morgan, was “talking a very good game on community care”.

But he said it was not supported by what has happened in Wales over the last 26 years of Labour Governments “propped up” by Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Evans, who is also Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, told Ms Morgan: “What we have seen across Wales is community hospitals closing, the number of hospital beds in community hospitals going down and the nursing staff in those hospitals under extreme pressure.

“This Labour Government has never got to grips with the workforce challenges in those community hospitals. We all want to see step-down care.

“You spoke about people dying in hospitals when they should be dying close to home. We all want to see that, but that's a failure of your Government for not getting people back into the community where they need to be seen.

“In the last dying embers of this failing Welsh Government, what are you going to do to improve community hospital facilities across Wales and increase bed capacity?

“Because I'm afraid to say that your record in this area is not very good at all.”

Ms Morgan said it’s not all about hospitals - it’s about support in the broader community and support at home.

She told Mr Evans: “We've delivered it, for example, in audiology and optometry and care on our high streets that people can go to. That wasn't there five years ago when people voted for this Government.

“We've seen the change in the GMS (General medical Services) contract. That has made a difference to the way people can access services, making sure that they don't have to always go and see a GP - there's a whole team around GPs that can be accessed.

“With the new dental contract, 400,000 people are being supported. That’s wasn't there five years ago.

“It’s important also to emphasise what our pharmacies can do - 400,000 GP appointments have been freed as a result of what our pharmacies can offer and over half-a-million consultations.

“England is just starting on this proposal. We are there - we've delivered. We should be proud of the shift that has already happened from taking care from our hospitals into our communities.”