Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:55 pm on 15 June 2016.
I thank the Member for her question, and she is right; she has taken a very consistent interest in this particular area. You’ll be aware that, in the discussions we had prior to the formation of this Government, in the compact with Plaid Cymru, an IPFR review was one of the things that we agreed upon between our parties. I expect to come forward with some proposals, after discussion—hopefully, before recess—on what an IPFR review could look like and to set a timescale in a matter of months for that to take place. It is important to me that that review has proper clinical buy-in of clinicians with expertise in the area and that there is a proper patient voice as part of the evidence-gathering process. So, I can also confirm that, in any review, it is my view that for the review to have real meaning, it must consider again the points about whether there should or should not be a national panel—you’ll understand that the previous review came down against a national panel, for practical reasons as much as anything else—but also, to examine again whether the exceptionality criteria are the right way to proceed. So, I’m happy to confirm that I expect those to be part of the review and for us to be able to report back in a prompt manner to this place and then to undertake any changes, if that is what the review itself recommends.