Summary:
A medical body has called for an independent inquiry into the state of the NHS in Wales.

Full article:
The British Medical Association (BMA) warned last month that the NHS in Wales faced ‘imminent meltdown’ costing patients’ lives, with waiting times at record levels, death rates outstripping the rest of the UK and ambulance and GP services in crisis. The health service in Wales is separate from NHS England and is run by the Labour-controlled Welsh Assembly, which has been accused of making cuts of £500million. The BMA called for an urgent independent inquiry after it emerged that the service has failed to meet A&E waiting targets for the last five years, while waiting times for cancer treatment are far longer than in England. Ysbyty Glan Clwyd hospital in Bodelwyddan, North Wales.The BMA has accused the Welsh NHS of facing ‘imminent meltdown’ (File photo) The NHS in Wales is run by the Welsh Assembly . In August, more than 1,000 patients had to wait at least 12 hours to be seen by a doctor in A&E, up 25 per cent in a month. The British Medical Association’s Dr Phil Banfield said: ‘The NHS in Wales is facing imminent meltdown. It is time for an urgent independent review.’ A Welsh Government spokesman denied the ‘meltdown’ claim and said: ‘The majority of people receive excellent care.’