Big spending on hospitals; VIEWPOINTS.

I AM not sure how the closure of Southern Way for essential maintenance leads to G Jones to complain about a lack of hospitals (Viewpoints, April 14).

The reality is that the Assembly is investing heavily in better hospital services. Surely he is aware of recent progress? Last month, the Assembly Government announced that Cardiff Royal Infirmary is to receive pounds 30m of investment. This scheme will see a huge range of services for residents. Work will start as soon as possible.

Also approved is the multi-million-pound investment in two specialist hospitals at Llandough and Whitchurch.

This Assembly Government investment will create in-patient assessment units for older adults.

The existing facilities are inadequate and these hospitals will make a big difference.

Then there is the massive Orthopaedic Centre at Llandough which is already benefiting many thousands of patients needing care..

At the Heath hospital significant improvements are under way. This will include a new antenatal clinic along with a specialist foetal and maternal medicine unit. Also there will be a midwifery-led birth and maternity assessment unit.

The new hospitals serving the Cynon Valley and Caerffili are under construction.

Since entering Government, Plaid Cymru has insisted on giving health care a top priority.

We stopped the hospital and ward closure plans. There is real progress being made.

However, there is a serious threat to the health service in Wales.

Gordon Brown's Government may impose enormous cuts to the Welsh budget to pay for the financial crisis caused by its mismanagement of the economy.

These pounds 500m cuts will be something we can all complain about. Plaid Cymru is resisting the threat to our health service posed by the UK government.

Chris Franks Plaid Cymru Assembly Member South Wales Central