the standard of care in the Welsh NHS is fabulous.
I wish I could agree with you.
Sadly, me neither.
Although there are some terrific staff and excellent work done in the NHS, my personal (and I stress, personal) experience of NHS Wales is not so good.
A few years I had an accident that left me unable to move my right arm. I was sent home by and A & E Consultant at Ysbyty Gwynedd NHS Wales telling me there was nothing wrong despite my protests. I went through my private medical scheme and I was found to have badly torn the rotator cuff and fractured a bone in my shoulder. It took an operation and several months to resolve.
Last year, because of the waiting list lengths of several months to be seen by a Consultant in NHS Wales, I again went through my private medical scheme. Seen within days, I was found to have an aggressive cancerous tumour that was quickly removed. I'm still undergoing cancer treatment to ensure that the cancer doesn't return. It's extremely doubtful if I'd be here now if I'd waited for NHS Wales.
I'm extremely fortunate to have private medical insurance, but shudder to think how many people without have suffered or been lost.