The Senedd election is but six months’ away. And as soon as the New Year turns over, you will be bombarded by candidates and parties calling on you for your support.

As far as this publication is concerned, there is but one issue that needs to be addressed by Reform or the Conservatives, Labour or Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats or the Greens: Our health system.

It is broke. And broken. And those who have been in control of the devolved power to this point have failed the people of mid and west Wales.

Where else in the United Kingdom have air ambulance services been withdrawn, deemed unnecessary for our sparse rural communities, helicopters best serving more people to the north and south of Wales? And on the withdrawal, the silence of the First Minister has been deafening. So too from our Minister for Health.

Where else in this kingdom to people resort to superglue and pliers to fix their dental problems? And for all that has been said and done by the Welsh Government to fix our broken dental system, they have failed to sink their teeth into the issue and make any marginal difference.

And where else has a government set waiting lime limits for those waiting cancer treatment and then spectacularly failed to meet those deadlines? Not only that, the government then has the audacity to impose even stricter guidelines, and fail abysmally once more.

Where else in Wales are critical stroke services being downgraded, care being withdrawn from the only regional hospital in mid Wales, with stroke patients being tracked to the south of the country?

Now comes word that long waits at A&E units at hospitals across Wales have contributed to the deaths of more than 900 people last year. The shocking analysis, carried out by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine says that equates to an average of 18 people dying needlessly each week.

If you want things to improve, ask every candidate that comes to your door what they will do. Grill them. Make sure of their answers.

And make sure you have your say in May. You life and care will very much depend on it.