Commenting on the Welsh Government’s publication of further detail regarding its key 2011 Assembly election pledge (annual health checks for the over 50s) – which reveals the scheme will be ‘delivered primarily through an online service’ – Shadow Minister for Health Darren Millar AM said:

“This amounts to a massive climb-down from the Health Minister and another promise broken.

“This was a key Labour health policy in 2011 that committed this government to annual health checks with a GP for every person over 50. It’s now clear it wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.

“Our NHS remains on the verge of financial meltdown and it is Labour’s record-breaking budget cuts that have forced this hugely disappointing U-turn.

“Not only are the over 50s being deprived of the service they were promised, many will struggle to even access this second-rate substitute. Older people in areas poorly covered by broadband, or those who are not online at all, will rightly question this watered down scheme.”