Part of 3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 3:26 pm on 1 March 2017.
Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll be aware that I raised the orthopaedic waiting times for hip operations in particular with the First Minister during a recent First Minister’s question time, and made reference to the fact that the routine waiting time at the moment at Glan Clwyd Hospital is 112 weeks for such operations, in spite of the Welsh Government’s 26-week target. At that time, the First Minister laughably responded that a hand surgeon had been appointed at Glan Clwyd—a locum hand surgeon—in order to reduce waits in this area. I’m pleased that you recognise that that is not going to deal with the problem of waiting times for my constituents. Can I ask you, given that the health board is currently in special measures, what responsibility do you, as a Welsh Government, recognise is your responsibility for the lengthening of these waiting times over the past two years?