Mrs May has committed her government to an extra 3.4% per year for the NHS in England. How much of this can be achieved by leaving the EU is very much open to doubt (see https://twitter.com/PJTheEconomist/status/1008256589051170818 and https://www.libdemvoice.org/a-gentle-ramble-through-mrs-mays-arithmetic-57813.html) but the commitment is there and Wales should get an extra £1.2bn yearly as a result.
I am aware of HL Mencken's stricture about simple solutions, but it seems to me that the best application of this money would be to improve nurses' pay scales. At present, Welsh nurses are the worst-paid in mainland Britain. Bringing them up to English levels would help retain experienced nurses, who so often find that work outside the NHS is not only less stressful but can also be better paid. There would be positive feedback from such a move. Bringing staff up to strength would reduce stress caused by overwork and overtime. Reducing the need for expensive contract nurses would ease the pressure on hospital budgets. And GPs would see one of their headaches reduced.
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