Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:50 pm on 13 February 2018.

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Photo of Andrew RT Davies Andrew RT Davies Conservative 1:50, 13 February 2018

First Minister, you talk about Members looking at changes. One of your own Ministers has said that she would vote against any changes that would come forward from the consultation. So, from within your Government people are casting aspersions about the consultation process. I have put to you twice now the escalation in the deficit situation that Hywel Dda faces: £70 million, £148 million of deficit over three years. It's not unreasonable for people in west Wales—as I said, in excess of 10 per cent of the Welsh population—to rely on that local health board to deliver health services in rural locations. I really would appreciate—as I'm sure would many Members in this institution, along with members of communities down in west Wales—some road map that the Welsh Government might have to rescue this situation. The deficit is getting worse. Waiting times are getting worse. The ability to attract staff to fill vacancies is not succeeding. In fact, workforce planning is woefully inadequate in that part of Wales, as we know. So, the third question: can you give us a road map of what the Welsh Government will be doing with the health board to bring this deficit under control, so that people can have confidence that they will have a health service in this part of Wales?