Carwyn Jones: We recently agreed to implement a more sensitive and user-friendly testing regime for bowel cancer screening in Wales. It's a key action within the revised cancer delivery plan. The roll-out of FIT within the bowel screening programme in Wales is planned for January 2019 and it's hoped it'll be more user-friendly and will improve uptake. That new test is expected to result in an increased...
Carwyn Jones: NHS bodies need to ensure that they have robust governance in place and act in a manner that upholds the values set for the Welsh public sector.
Carwyn Jones: Well, as I said, the chair of the health board has confirmed that she will establish a reference group with representatives invited across political parties, and elected members at county level, to regularly update them on transformation work. That meeting will take place on a monthly basis, and invitations will be sent to all AMs, Members of Parliament and elected council members.
Carwyn Jones: Well, through their delivery they have to ensure, of course, a safe and sustainable service in their areas, and I believe that they do that. There will occasionally be difficult decisions that they will have to take; we know that. What is hugely important, though, is that we are able to measure them in terms of their public engagement. There have been problems in the past around this, and not...
Carwyn Jones: A statement was sent out by the Member and another, which said, 'We will be keeping a close eye on these proposals as they develop, and intend meeting with health board representatives at the earliest opportunity.' It is legitimate, in my mind, to point out that opportunities have been offered. It is perfectly legitimate and open to scrutiny. If Members say they want to meet at...
Carwyn Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. Following the exchange in First Minister's questions last week, I want to apologise to the Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr for the answer I gave to him. He will know that we have both received apologies too from the health board in relation to the incorrect information on which our exchange was based. I do believe that information was passed to my office in good...
Carwyn Jones: We expect citizens who have a clinical need for an emergency ambulance response to receive one as quickly as possible, whenever required. Despite increased demand in recent months, the Welsh ambulance service has continued to meet the target in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area.
Carwyn Jones: I have to say that the model itself was drawn up by clinical professionals, and therefore it was they who considered the way in which we should do this. It wasn’t something that was done by politicians. It’s true to say that 65 per cent of red calls in Anglesey were responded to within eight minutes, but the Member has raised two issues in this Chamber, which of course are very important,...
Carwyn Jones: What I've said several times in the Chamber is that it's hugely important to ensure that we have a social care system that can get people out of hospital when it is timely for them to do so. And that is, of course, the reason why we have not cut social care spending in the way that England has. Health and social care run together. What I can say in terms of emergency calls, in the Betsi...
Carwyn Jones: Yes. The Welsh Government revenue allocation to Betsi Cadwaladr health board is over £1.3 billion in the current financial year.
Carwyn Jones: Well, I am being lectured by a member of UKIP on proper funding of the health service, when his own party leader at one point said there shouldn't be a publicly funded health service at all. Can I say, in terms of answering his question—[Interruption.]
Carwyn Jones: He has made reference to a £13.1 million allocation to Betsi Cadwaladr and the support for developing sustainable unscheduled care—£1.5 million over two years. What does that mean? Well, our expectations are, by April 2018, that there should be a reduction of referral-to-treatment waiting times by around 50 per cent in the numbers waiting over 36 weeks, and progress to continue into 2018...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I think I've given the answer to the previous question, in terms of how the money will be spent.
Carwyn Jones: No, it's a noticeable way of de-escalating maternity services. It demonstrates what can be achieved with focused action and support. There are still significant challenges that the health board faces and further progress and action are required urgently to transform mental health services. The Cabinet Secretary, along with the director general, are holding monthly accountability meetings...
Carwyn Jones: Well, the issue of physical infrastructure at the ports to deal with issues such as customs are matters for the UK Government, not for us. It's for them to spend the money if that kind of Brexit is what they want. However, it's right to say that nobody argues for there to be a hard border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and we expect the UK Government to deliver that. It's not...
Carwyn Jones: Well, this is a reserved matter for the UK Government, but I do take the view that for any free trade deal to be robust it has to have buy-in from all the different nations of the UK. I expect there to be full consultation in order for people to understand what effect a free trade agreement might have. I have never believed that free trade agreements are some kind of panacea. A free trade...
Carwyn Jones: The UK Government itself has no idea how to deal with this. I don't think the Scottish Government has a plan in place to deal with a hard Brexit, and as far as we are concerned—[Interruption.] Well, I think we've got to be careful here, because I don't want to give the impression, and nor does she, that, somehow, a 'no deal' Brexit is similar to any other kind of Brexit. It isn't; it's far,...
Carwyn Jones: No. And, the answer to the first question is that all relevant evidence was made available to the inquiry.
Carwyn Jones: I can't comment on what the evidence looked like. All I can say is that all relevant evidence was submitted to the inquiry.
Carwyn Jones: Firstly, it is a matter for the head of security to decide what he regards as relevant evidence. Secondly, any e-mail that is sent to me to my personal e-mail, which, in any event, is only accessed from a Government machine, is recorded. Any e-mail is recorded in that fashion. So, we know from the Gove judgment that any e-mail that's sent to a Government machine is subject to a freedom of...
