In addition to being the MS for Monmouth, I am also the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, a cross-party committee responsible for holding the Welsh Government to account on health matters.
In 2023, the Committee published a report titled ‘Unheard: Women’s Journey Through Gynaecological Cancer’, which uncovered critical failures in gynaecological cancer care. Women told the committee they felt ignored and unheard by a system that was meant to care for them. Twenty-six recommendations were made to the Welsh Government.
I want to pay tribute to the women who came forward to give evidence during the course of the Committee’s work, some of whom are tragically no longer with us. Their testimony and those from Cancer charities underlined the urgency of this issue and showed why the Welsh Government cannot afford to delay taking action.
Last week, the Committee published a follow-up report as we were told little had improved. Unfortunately, we found that women in Wales are still being let down by the system. Two years on from the original report, the Welsh Government has still not delivered on a number of our recommendations leaving the voices of women unheard still.
The Welsh Government often talks about priorities, but as I have said before, priorities are demonstrated through evidence. If gynaecological cancer is truly a priority, this would be reflected in visible action, dedicated funding, and clear accountability.
The reality is that the Welsh Government has fallen far short on waiting times, which remain one of the worst of all cancer types. In October 2025, only 41% of patients started treatment within the 62-day target. Furthermore, there has been no specific ring-fenced funding allocated for gynaecological cancer services, and no measurable NHS targets to improve gynaecological cancer outcomes have been published, despite the Welsh Government pledging to do so. Our further recommendations to the government have demanded these amongst other things are put in place.
Behind every statistic are women whose lives depend on timely diagnosis and treatment. I hope that the Welsh Government, and any new government following May's Senedd elections, finally take this matter seriously and address the very real concerns raised.
This is quite literally a matter of life and death for far too many women, and we owe it to them to get this right.
Peter Fox MS - Monmouth
