The Health of the Nation

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:24 pm on 31 January 2018.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 2:24, 31 January 2018

I thank the Member for highlighting a hugely important issue for the future of healthcare in Wales and beyond today. This, of course, is a key aspect of prudent healthcare, which my immediate predecessor outlined, and that's continuing through the service. Prudent healthcare is a key aspect when looking at, for example, the NHS Wales Awards; we look for evidence of a prudent approach to running and delivering services. It's also been highlighted and reinforced in the recent parliamentary review as a key driver for our system. There are some positive things to look at here in Wales; it's not just a counsel of helplessness. If we look at Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board and Cwm Taf Local Health Board, they've both had inverse care law programmes, deliberately going out to communities with the greatest level of risk, those people who don't engage with their own health, and the results are really positive thus far as well. I think in a previous appearance before the health and social care committee—it's not called that; it's still got sport in its title—I'd indicated that I'd write to them with an update on the initial evaluation from those two programmes from both vice-chairs. I'd be happy to share that with all Members, because it does show that that practical approach is starting to have an impact. There are lessons to learn from that approach and others for our whole service to adopt across the country.