6. Will the First Minister provide an update on the new treatment fund? OAQ(5)0533(FM)

Yes. All health boards have received their full allocation of the £16 million for the new treatment fund that was due for this financial year. The Cabinet Secretary will provide an update about the new treatment fund before the summer recess.

I thank you for that answer. The new treatment fund certainly does demonstrate the Welsh Government's commitment to delivering on their 2016 election pledge and, as I understand it, that new treatment fund will help expedite access to new medicines that have been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE, and the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group, for a whole host of illnesses, no doubt helping countless individuals with life-threatening illnesses right here in Wales. I understand that it is extremely early days but could I request that we receive regular updates on progress within the access to the new treatment fund and any figures that could be attached to that?

Yes, I'm sure that could be done. I can say, though, since January 2015, new medicines recommended by NICE or the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group have been made available to patients across a range of conditions. So, for the first two months, the new treatment fund’s already made a palpable difference to the medicines available for the people of Wales.

Good afternoon, First Minister. Could you perhaps just give us an overview of what monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that the funds that have gone to the health boards for this very worthy initiative are being spent on just this initiative?

Yes. There is full monitoring of that and we see the results of that through the 15 medicines that I have already mentioned that have been made available.