7. 6. Statement: Update on the Pathfinder 111 NHS Service in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:01 pm on 4 July 2017.

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Photo of Caroline Jones Caroline Jones UKIP 5:01, 4 July 2017

Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. The 111 service has been well received by a lot of my constituents who had the benefit of the pathfinder service. However, quite a lot of constituents are still unaware of the service, and whilst I appreciate the infancy of the scheme, we must ensure that those hard-to-reach constituents are made aware of the service. I am pleased to see that you are considering the wider roll-out of the service, and I look forward to receiving the results of the formal evaluation.

As the recent National Survey for Wales shows us, one in four of the Welsh public find it difficult to make a GP appointment, which puts pressure on out-of-hours services. The 111 service addresses this problem, and the sooner we can make it available in the rest of Wales, the better. Cabinet Secretary, what are the major barriers preventing the wider roll-out of the service at the present time?

You mention the development of a digital platform to allow Skype-type chats. So, Cabinet Secretary, do you see video-conferencing playing a greater role in primary care, particularly in rural areas? And how can we improve our infrastructure to make greater use of voice over IP services in future?

Finally, Cabinet Secretary, you have asked the programme board for a robust plan for wider roll-out by the autumn. What do you envisage will be the timescale for the complete roll-out of the service to all local health board areas? I look forward to working with you to ensure this service, which hugely complements our primary and urgent care services, is available to every person in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.