Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I thank the Members who have taken part in today’s debate. And I’m sure that, not just yesterday and today, we will spend more time in this Chamber discussing the reality of winter pressures upon our health and social care services over the coming months.

We all know that there’s been very real pressure over recent weeks in health and social care services here in Wales, and right across the United Kingdom. And it is a testament to the commitment and skill of our staff that, despite these genuinely difficult and trying circumstances, the vast majority of patients continue to receive their care in a professional and timely manner, and the dedication of our staff should be a source of great national pride.

The winter plans of health and social care partners are being implemented in response to pressures that we all recognise. Parts of primary community care, for example, have reported an increase of 30 to 40 per cent in demand for GP appointments, and an indicative increase of 10 to 15 per cent demand in out-of-hours services. But we know, in terms of taking new measures, the 111 pathfinder in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board area also saw an increase in demand over Christmas—some days seeing over 350 more calls per day than the typical peak volume calls for the first few months of that pilot. But, crucially, that service also appears to be working well in providing care, but also in diverting people away from unnecessary journeys into a hospital. And, again, that is a testament both to the skill and the dedication of our staff, and the design and the delivery of the 111 service. I recognise comments made by a range of Members in this debate about GPs having a critical role to play, both in the design of winter plans, and in the delivery of healthcare throughout the winter. That’s why it is encouraging that primary and community care services are generally coping with recent increased activity. The Welsh Government, of course, are supporting a range of initiatives, including local examples of telephone triage, enhanced pharmacy services that are also helping to manage demand, and I’m pleased that Dawn Bowden managed to highlight a number of those initiatives there. They’re really making a difference to individual staff, but crucially to the patients they care for.

And, again, the Welsh ambulance service has experienced some huge spikes in demand. For example, on New Year’s Day, there were 46 per cent more red calls than the daily average in 2016, but the service, though, has been able to safely discharge up to 200 patients per day without transport to hospital—that’s using its enhanced clinical desk service, all by treating patients at the scene. So, this isn’t a comment of the NHS simply putting more money into the previous system that it’s always run—there is real change, reform and innovation taking place, and it’s led by our staff and informed by the very real evidence of what works on the ground.