4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services: The Long-term Plan for Health and Social Care in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:16 pm on 12 June 2018.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 4:16, 12 June 2018

I'll just take your final point first. Of course we'll continue to look at international evidence. We'll continue to be challenged by it, inspired by it, and there will be times when we'll have to discount it because it doesn't apply to the context we have here. The Canterbury example is a good one to look at, actually. There are enough similarities for us to focus on, to learn and be interested in. Cardiff and Vale are taking a real interest in it, but interestingly, that took them time to get there. It took them a period of years to be pointing in the same direction and for partners to agree on what they were doing, and they will have a better system as a result. Indeed, at the start of that journey, there were plenty of sceptics who didn't believe that it would really work, and there's a lesson for us there as well, about having enough consistency of approach from a range of different partners to achieve real gain. But, of course, we'll continue to be led and challenged by evidence of what works.

Your final point about the Forget-me-not Chorus is a really important point—the enjoyment you get from taking part in things, not necessarily understanding they're taking part in treatment, and what takes place around that and the social networks matter as well. I recognised that on my first visit to such a choir—actually, in the Gower with Rebecca Evans over election time. It was a really interesting day where there were lots of people who positively wanted to be there; they didn't need to be dragged out. There's something about recognising it's not just about having health and care professionals there to do something to you, or with you; it's also what we do with each other and our social links and networks.