4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services: Winter Pressures

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:10 pm on 13 February 2018.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 4:10, 13 February 2018

I'll keep my comments fairly brief. I haven't been here all that long, but already there's a feeling of groundhog when it comes to discussing winter pressures. There's no doubt that there have been some extraordinary episodes of increased pressure over this winter, and I would like to pay tribute to the astoundingly dedicated members of staff right across our health and care services in Wales who have been trying to deal with the situation that they have been faced with over the past months. You're quite right that they continue to face it up towards the end of winter. But fundamental questions: do we think there'll be a winter next year? I think there will be. What then, assuming there'll be one, are the fundamental shifts that we can look for signs of from this Government that will put the NHS in Wales in a stronger position in order to deal with those pressures when they inevitably come? Because they do.

I was at Ysbyty Gwynedd a matter of 10 days ago, getting the latest insight into the situation there: near 100 per cent bed occupancy, if not 100 per cent. I think the day I was there they were expecting 50 patients in. There were 54 patients in beds in Ysbyty Gwynedd that didn't need to be there. You can see where the problem is. If not every day, every few days I'm hearing tales of patients having their elective surgery cancelled. This is what's happening. This is causing untold distress for those patients and their families, and it is causing delays to treatment that will have who knows what effect on their recovery from the illnesses that they face—[Interruption.] I'm more than happy to take an intervention—