Carwyn Jones: The Welsh Government supports Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board to recruit and train staff in a number of ways, including record investment in nursing and allied health professional training places. Of course, the Member will know of the statement made before the summer about the way in which we wish to ensure that more training takes place in north Wales in order to ensure that...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I haven’t seen any evidence from experts saying that we have to have an independent medical school in the north. I have to tell you that—[Interruption.]
Carwyn Jones: Secondly, what we need to ensure is that the north links with the south to create a training system that is pan-Wales. But what does count, of course, is that those who require training see that the standard is high enough. We want to ensure that the standard is uniform across Wales, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We know, with regard to the training of GPs, for example, in...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I agree with her when she says she wants more training opportunities in the north. There’s no distance between us on that; it’s how it’s delivered. She’s asking, ‘Can it be an independent medical school?’ Well, we know that that’s not what is recommended. We know it would be difficult because big medical schools are in big cities with big hospitals, which have a far...
Carwyn Jones: We expect Hywel Dda to develop its workforce plans so that they match the local population needs, both now and in the future.
Carwyn Jones: Well, may I say in the first place that I hope that your family situation has improved? I’m sorry to hear about what happened there. It’s true to say that there are still challenges in the west. I know that the situation in Withybush is a temporary position and not a permanent one—may I say that—and I know that the health board is working very hard to recruit the people they need. But...
Carwyn Jones: Well, of course, it is a matter for the health board, but they have a duty to recruit and they are still attempting to do so. Is he asking whether things should revert to what they used to be? Well, no, because that is not what the report states; I don’t think there would be an improvement in services at all. It’s true to say that there have been problems regarding recruitment in...
Carwyn Jones: I understand that on 21 September, a few days ago, a new consultant paediatrician was recruited to Withybush. Also, there have been the appointments of two locums and two substantive consultant posts across their paediatric services. The health board inform us that they’re also in discussions with two further candidates for a community paediatric and a consultant paediatric post. That is...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I’m glad that the Member has asked the question, because we’re transforming the skills journey through the creation of apprenticeship pathways to deliver on our commitment of 100,000 apprenticeship places for those of all ages, in line with the Welsh Government’s priorities and in line with the promises that we made last year.
Carwyn Jones: Well, we could’ve done this if policing was devolved, but his party has sat there consistently in this Chamber and demanded that policing should not be devolved. We are not going to fund services that should be funded by a non-devolved body. This is a tax that was imposed by his party: a tax on business. We have received a share of that and we will use that money to pay for apprenticeships,...
Carwyn Jones: Well, I very much agree with what the Member has said. Some may have noticed that I gave a speech on the weekend when I called on the UK Government to deliver the tidal lagoon. The response from the UK Government was that I should focus on public services in Wales and not mention the lagoon. Now, that causes me a great deal of trepidation because normally the response is, ‘We are still...
Carwyn Jones: I missed the question; there was a bit of yapping on my left, but I have the question—.
Carwyn Jones: May I apologise? Well, in the health board meetings in September, they will consider the recommendations regarding the establishment of a major trauma network for south Wales, west Wales and south Powys. This includes formally receiving the independent expert panel’s report on the operation of a major trauma network and a major trauma centre.
Carwyn Jones: Morriston is crucial as regards health services as a major hospital that serves such a large population. But, he is saying that the Welsh Government has done this. This isn’t the view of Welsh Government. When you have a situation where people are strongly in favour of one site or another, the only thing you can do is establish an expert panel, as happened. That panel has presented its...
Carwyn Jones: Well, it might. It depends, of course, if the health boards agree or not. If they don’t, then of course it will come to the Cabinet Secretary for decision. Wherever you place the trauma centre, there will be people who are more than an hour away from it. It’s inevitable; the geography dictates that. Of course, we have air ambulances that are able to assist in terms of bringing people to...
Carwyn Jones: Morriston is bound to be an important district general hospital. It provides many specialised services for the hospitals further west in order for those hospitals to be able to provide the services for their people. I know that—. I’ve been told by consultants who work in Morriston that they often work in the hospitals further west as well. So, there’s no question of Morriston losing its...
Carwyn Jones: Formally, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Carwyn Jones: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. There were a number of points that speakers raised that are important points that need to be addressed, and the challenges need to be recognised. The first thing that I have to say, of course, is that the document, ‘Prosperity for All’, is the basis on which Government decisions will be made. It will lead to more detail in due course. The economic action plan...
Carwyn Jones: Better, because we’re attracting investors now that we would never have attracted 20 years ago. The policy of the UK Government in the 1990s was to replace well-paid jobs in coal and steel with badly paid, unskilled jobs. So, GDP and GVA—same thing, more or less—went down. Yes, the unemployment rate may have gone down with it, but the money that people had in their pockets also declined...
Carwyn Jones: No, there were too few sectors. One of the problems we faced was—and it was an issue I remember discussing with my former colleague Ieuan Wyn Jones, as Deputy First Minister—that in years before that, attempts had been made to attract investment in any area and, of course, you can’t do that. Unless you can show you’ve got a track record quite often it’s very difficult to attract...
