We must not pull the plug on the NHS – the Single Market is its life support

Whilst I am completely with you in the thrust of what you're saying, could you explain your statement "the failure to properly fund the health service by the Tories in Westminster"? I realise that the Barnett formula means that if the English NHS is underfunded, Wales gets less overall. But it's still up to the assembly how to divide up the money it receives. I guess that's what you meant, but as it stands this serves to reinforce people's misperceptions of how NHS Wales is funded.

Cytuno'n llwyr!

I'm against the NHS as it stands. No, I don't want a fully private, uncaring American system but I'm bored titless of people unwilling to discuss mature, grown-up, and realistic ways of providing healthcare. The NHS doesn't work. 50% of Welsh cash is being spent on it and it's a bottomless money pit. Prescriptions should not be free and people need to start paying to see their GP. It's not that hard. If you're unemployed, homeless, a student, a child or unemployed then of course you should be excepted. But the current situation is unsustainable and can't go on. I really hope that Brexit will be a kick up the backside and make us realise that a socialist healthcare system is unsustainable and pretty much immoral when people are dying in corridoes and waiting for ambulances. Same goes for all the money wasted on third sector non-jobs in Wales.

My recollection is that immediately after the referendum vote Leanne Wood announced, ostensibly on behalf of Plaid Cymru, that respect had to be given to the majority vote in favour of leaving the EU. Lord Wigley appears still to be of that opinion: I refer to his recent article on the issue in Nation Cymru. It follows that it is not my recollection that PC has 'consistently been calling for' remaining in the EU single market but am glad that one prominent Plaid AM is now in favour of that policy. Plaid Cymru's policies on the issue have in my opinion been muddled and inconsistent. Can we hope that there has been a re-think on the issue and that PC is now firmly in the remain camp?

Very well said. In addition to the points made in this article it should also be remembered that the fall in the value of the pound due to the Brexit vote has increased the costs of medical equipment, bought from abroad.This places even further pressure on NHS Wales budgets. This is hardly the benefit that was promised before the referendum . If you see a person about to walk off a cliff do you take the view that it is their free choice or do you intervene to stop them? We have a parliamentary democracy of sorts not a direct democracy. This means that our MPs and AMs are representatives and not delegates. They should exercise their own judgement on the basis of the available evidence and their talk of 'respecting the vote' is, in my opinion, politicians' cant, a sop to a poorly informed majority of people who voted to leave. Brexit, is in the opinion of the majority who have taken the trouble to research the matter, a no win situation for all save a few wealthy individuals and perhaps some fishermen. We shoot ourselves in the foot and our friends in the back. Staying in the single market will help stop the worst happening. As we approach our national day it seems we might see MPs of the four countries and all parties realizing that there is an existential issue here and then being brave enough to come together, independent of party allegiances to do what they are elected to do and vote for what they know is in the best interest of their country and not worry so much about their own skins.

A strange coincidence of Rhun's article, I think you timed it for my benefit, that I've spent these last few days (night) many hours in Prince Charles hospital with a close relative. Waiting , unfortunately 8 hours wait for a bed in GP out of hours service (A and E). And on metal seating. But not on our own. I cannot thank the staff well enough or loudly enough. They don't walk then run. It wasn't to keep fit. But help. We were seen by 3.doctors during this time. All were nationals from others Countries. Asian, Irish and middle eastern. Excellent. Each one, besides the support staff. This is one of the most highly regarded hospital I know, we must protect. And fight for it. Free at the point need and delivery. Always. Keep the faith, support Rhun and the open doors to Europe, and the world. Enough said.

If NHS staff vacancies cannot be filled with European nationals then it means recruiting more widely and from countries with a poorer doctor population ratio than Wales and who can surely ill afford the poaching of their doctors and nurses. This is a shameful situation.

We cover our shortfall of trained medical staff because of poor planning, under investment, but clever campaigns of recruitment abroad , with those who qualify here exercising options of choices of where best to work, and in what specialisms. The issues of morality and ethics when recruiting abroad is secondary to the dire consequences of a very political problem of what to do when you fail to fund a very costly and dynamic health service. It never stops developing new techniques and medicines. Yes costly. But so these large companies not paying proper taxes. I know, privatise. Now that to some is a brilliant Idea. Pass the responsibility to the private sector. Snaffle staff from anywhere. Run the service to breaking point. Quitting the EU provides every opportunity to downgrade and sell if off to the highest bidder. In comes America. Or the City. And, as already been spoken off begin the slow process of charges, GP appointments to start, consultations next, medicines shortly afterwards, and roll out buying insurances to cover hospitalisation and surgery. Job done. Unless we unite now and campaign to protect this last free at the point of need and delivery, the NHS will slowly diminish and collapse. It's all about money and the spectre of large profits. Wales can stand outside of this kind of politics, if it chooses to. By popular demand,

Seems even Corbyn - who can be trusted to blow all directions in a wind from any particular direction - has sussed that leaving the eu will cause a contraction in the economy and the subsequent pain that follows - less money for health and education. But people chose wilfully to believe the self-confessed liar Ffaridge (rhymes with parrage). Can an election/referendum fought using bare-faced lies be taken as a mandate to do anything. Sadly another referendum even if contested on fact would probably be lost. Large numbers of Uk population hate the eu due to decades-long 'eu-hate' propounded by the likes of mail, sun and express. The concept of shared 'sovereignty' to achieve a wider aim is, arguably, too complex for those who read (look at the pictures) in organs mentioned above. As we are now seeing, absolute sovereignty isn't that effective when 'negotiating' with a bigger more powerful interlocutor. And the eu is relatively civilized - just let Uk see what happens when trying to conduct trade deals with Us and china - try saying to them 'Ah, but we are a sovereign state and see how far it gets 'em. As a member of the sub-working class, or as the BBC describes us, 'the precariat', i am concerned at the thought that a visit to the offthalmist (or whatever they choose to call themselves - ?Augenarzt?) would cost me ca 200 euros . I've just seen one under the nhs, and thought it took a year to get, it was free (fairly low priority, i undrerstand).

this has project fear written all over it. we are leaving the EU not Europe. If you are already living and working in a country and are settled in that country why would you consider leaving because of changes to a trade agreement. The UK government has already said that the rights of those EU nationals already living and working in the UK when we leave will be protected just like those of UK nationals will be protected in Europe. there will be no mass exodus of health professionals or anyone else when we leave the EU because for the majority of those of us who get up each morning and go to work very little will change.

I live in a small market town, which has a large number of English retirees . A few weeks ago I was the only Welsh person in a packed surgery. These English immigrants have paid their dues to the English NHS but it is the Welsh NHS that is paying out as they get older .