The HIW and Wales Audit Office review also noted continuing pressing challenges, including the need for a clear plan for clinical services, and that will require brave and visible leadership to build on and ensure progress. I am, of course, disappointed that some issues have escalated during the last six months in other areas that now require significant improvement, notably in terms of finance and performance. I have never tried to shy away from the reality of significant challenges in finance and performance, in both scheduled and unscheduled care. Due to the concerns that I have, I increased the accountability from summer this year, with increased direct contact between myself and senior officials. I meet directly with the chair and the chief executives. In fact, I have already arranged to meet them tomorrow in north Wales as part of that more frequent contact.

The Welsh Government amendment recognises the continual challenge to the health board to address its current financial situation and its unacceptable waiting times. My focus is on ensuring action and providing the support needed to stabilise and recover the position. I've already taken action and a number of steps to help do so. That's why we're trying to note the support already provided under special measures, and the additional taken action that I've taken, including the additional external advice and support for the mental health team, who have placed more staff in and around the board, and the allocation of over £13 million to improve referral-to-treatment waiting times. We expect that to improve by around 50 per cent by the end of March 2018. There's £1.5 million of investment committed to the unscheduled care programme team to transform the delivery of services and improve unscheduled care performance, with targeted support from the NHS Wales delivery unit. Direct support has been provided by the national programme for unscheduled care team.

The independent external financial governance review that has been commissioned has been provided to discuss with the board. We deliberately chose to do that at an earlier stage rather than wait for further deterioration in the health board's position. It was a proactive measure to understand the challenges they have, and then to understand what further support would be required. We've extended the time of the independent oversight panel for Tawel Fan to April 2018, to make sure their work is done properly and to ensure there are conclusions that people can rely upon. I have, this week, agreed further support for the health board with David Jenkins, an external experienced former chair of Aneurin Bevan health board, one of our more successful health boards in Wales, and he will now undertake an advisory role to support both the chair and the chief executive on the work to stabilise and recover that is required. And he will not just work with the chair and the chief executive, he will obviously report back to myself with his findings.

I will, of course, be reviewing the phase 3 report from the health board on progress, and taking on board the views of the regulators in early December. I recognise the calls that are made in this debate for a route-map out of special measures, and I would gently remind people of what we said at the time when this health board went into special measures. It went in based on the advice we received—the serious, concerning advice we received from the chief exec of NHS Wales, from the Wales Audit Office, and also from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. So, putting this organisation into special measures was not an act of political convenience for Ministers. Coming out of special measures should not be a politically designed route-map. There will be the obvious suspicion that that would simply be a matter of convenience for myself or this Government. I will, of course, receive and act upon the objective advice that I receive about what to do and when is the right time to do it. I will, of course, review the progress against the current improvement plan and see what further is required.

My objective is to strengthen the work we're already taking to support a turnaround approach to ensure the health board makes the required improvements. There is no disguising the seriousness of the situation, or indeed, the seriousness with which I approach the task. I know very well that questions will and should be asked until there is sustained improvement in the areas where this health board has fallen behind. I'll continue to report back I'll continue to report back honestly and transparently on the progress that has been made and the progress required. I will of course update Members before Christmas following the review processes on any additional action to be taken.