23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
I thank Jane for those two questions. The issue around cross-border difficulties has been raised a few times. It was raised just this week and last week too. Bodies have been created in order to look at those cross-border issues, Llywydd, in order to ensure…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Llywydd, the Member is right to say that warm words have been spoken for many years, indeed many decades, about moving services to the primary element. Indeed, there was an MP who was elected in 1966 in Carmarthen, and one of his first speeches in Parliament…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Thank you. The Member raises the point around dentistry. I know from my own experience, with my own casework in the constituency over the last five years, that it is clearly a problem. In fact, we receive a lot of letters from members of the public to the…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Thank you very much for that. Llywydd, the Member makes a particularly important point—that is to say that he clearly demonstrates that the mummy will be reborn under Plaid Cymru and will rise again. But the important point that he makes is that we do need to…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Llywydd, there were a number of very important points there raised by my former colleague on the health committee, and former Chair of the health committee, who clearly understands a lot of these things. The situation in Betsi Cadwaladr is…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
So, the Member raises a number of important points, which have been exercised many times in the public sphere over the last couple of weeks. So, I will take this opportunity to answer once again some of the points that have been raised with me in various…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Thank you very much. Llywydd, the Member says that he agrees with my proposal and the ideas put forward, so I look forward to seeing the Member and his colleagues supporting the supplementary budget when it comes to a vote in order to ensure that we can…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Llywydd, the transformational change that we want and need to see depends on a strong and resilient workforce with resources in the right places. Staff working across health and care are the most valuable asset that we have. They work with dedication each day…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Cutting waiting times, treating those who have waited the longest and putting the system on a sustainable footing for the future is my immediate priority. I have been absolutely clear that short-term action alone will not deliver the lasting improvement to…
23 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Delivering on our priorities: Reducing waiting times and strengthening primary care
Thank you very much, Llywydd. When I made my first statement in this Siambr a couple of weeks ago, I noted clearly that we needed bold, radical action to create a strong, resilient and thriving health and care system. In a number of areas, we know that we are…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Those are vitally important points that, in part, answer the question put forward by the leader of the Conservatives. Primary care is where over 90 per cent of patient contact with the health system happens, and yet the prolonged neglect of this vital pillar…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Llywydd, the Member suggests that I said there's too much focus on hospitals and that I would like to see hospital beds reduced. I haven't said that at all. In fact, if the Member had read our manifesto, he would have seen differently—that we need to…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Thank you for the points raised. If I can go straight to the point around mental health and women's health, that's why the First Minister has appointed a Deputy Minister with those points exactly in her title. She will be looking with a laser-like focus on…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
I thank the Member for that. The point that she raises is particularly important. As I said, I was part of the report of the health and care committee that looked into ophthalmology, and I'm aware of the deficiencies that we have in that regard. That's why…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
I thank the Member for his question, and I'd like to thank him for his previous work within the NHS. I'm very proud to have him as a member of the group so that he can advise us on many health-related issues. The Member is right to highlight the particular…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Yes, thank you to the Member for the points that she has raised, and she's absolutely right that social care is crucial. If we are going to resolve the issues facing our health service, we need to resolve the issues facing social care, but the issues facing…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Thank you to the Member for those points raised. The Member started by accusing Plaid Cymru of being, what she said, 'equally culpable', in the demise of the health service. Now, this is our first time leading Government, may I just remind you, but your party…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Thank you to the Member for those points that he raised. Now, the Member referenced waiting lists. His previous Government didn't have the proudest record in tackling the waiting lists, and that's why we are having to take radical action in making sure that…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Thank you, James, for those comments. I'd like to thank the opposition Member for raising some of the issues that he has. The Member was quite right in stating that we need to ensure that we thank the NHS and care staff in Wales—absolutely. They are working…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Llywydd, the health and well-being of our population and the future of the NHS depend on preventing avoidable ill health and delivering care earlier, in the right place at the right time. I will bring together system leaders, local authorities and clinicians…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
We will do this by implementing an ambitious national programme to expand surgical and diagnostic hubs across Wales to reduce waiting times, improve access and increase capacity. My officials are already in the process of convening the expert independent…
2 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and Care Priorities
Thank you very much, Llywydd. I'm proud to speak in this Chamber for the first time as Cabinet Minister for Health and Care and to represent a sector that in so many ways reflects our very best qualities as a society and as a nation. But I'm under no…
12 May 2026 , Plenary
Nomination of the First Minister under Standing Order 8
Rhun ap Iorwerth.
3 March 2026 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I attended a fascinating event organised by John Griffiths last week into rare diseases. Of course, many people suffering from rare diseases can't get some of the drugs required for their situation. Another event that I attended recently was a conference with…
26 February 2026 , Health and Social Care Committee
Pre-appointment hearing for the role of Chair of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board: evidence session with the Welsh Government's preferred candidate
But, following on from that, from your experience, as the chair of the health board, how would you foresee collaborating, therefore, with local authorities within Aneurin Bevan in order to make sure that this is solved?
