I WANT to start this month by paying tribute to the hard work and dedication of the staff at Cardiff & Vale health board. Whilst the Welsh Government’s cuts to the NHS budget in Wales have made most of the coverage – and rightly so – it is important to recognise the efforts of the staff who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for patients.

In the last month, there has been a drop in the number of patients waiting more than 36 weeks to start treatment. It’s a small but significant improvement that needs to be built upon and I am hopeful that the Welsh Labour Government will work with the health board to ensure that this becomes a trend – not an aberration.

Wales-wide, however, around one-in-seven remain on a Welsh NHS waiting list. That figure stands at 418,382 compared to just over 200,000 when Carwyn Jones became First Minister in 2009.

In the Cardiff & Vale health board area, the number of patients waiting over 36 weeks to start treatment fell in March from 5,014 to 2,378. The target, of course, is none. Delays in treatment are a huge concern and cause unnecessary pain, sometimes worsening the prognosis. That’s why it is so important to continue to reduce waits to start treatment.

For Penarth residents, who rely upon Heath Hospital for emergency treatment, the news was not so good. The Welsh Government’s target for A&E is to see patients within four hours; the official target is 95 per cent and hasn’t been met since Carwyn Jones became First Minister in 2009.

Clearly in an emergency the need for prompt treatment is self-evident, and with more than 100 patients facing waits of over 12 hours in April there is a great deal of work to do! I have been working with my colleagues in the Assembly to develop proposals to improve emergency care and over the next year you will hear lots about our strategy for the Welsh NHS.

Don’t forget, if you have a health issue that you would like me to help with all you need to do is drop me a line. It’s my job, and my priority is ensuring that we all get the best out of our experience with the health service.

Last week I caught up with the family of Paul Woodland, who tragically lost his life in 2012 while on a Special Forces training exercise. We first met when I was made aware of their campaign to have a memorial for Paul in his hometown; a campaign I will continue to support until it is rightfully delivered.

However, Paul’s fiancé, Sian, and his mother, Alicia, had more news to share in relation to the remarkable fundraising activities they are currently involved with in aid of Forces Support; a relatively new charity but the only one providing hands on practical support by way of gardening, decorating and general maintenance throughout the home and gardens of bereaved military families.

Last weekend, Sian and her father ‘yomped’ 103 miles non-stop across the South Downs in 36 hours and Alicia, despite being terrified of heights, is set to take part in a sky-dive in August. The courage of both is beyond admirable and if you are able to donate to what is an extremely worthwhile cause you can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/Woodland3/