Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 13 March 2019.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 3:01, 13 March 2019

Actually, when talking about the way in which the health service was being discussed in 2016, you'll remember a blanket, lazy and wildly inaccurate suggestion by a number of political players that the health service in Wales was the worst part of the United Kingdom. Actually, what the OECD report said very clearly was that simply is not true. It did, however, have criticisms to make about each part of the health service within the four nations of the UK, and that included the criticism that you've read out about where we are in Wales—having a more logical structure to the way we organise health services, but needing to see that made real in terms of the delivery. 

And, actually, in terms of that point about there needs to be a more central guiding hand, I am regularly urged to take more interventions in the way that health services are run. Actually, I have taken a more interventionist approach, but the challenge is how we have a system that is set up, not just the attitude of an individual Minister. And you'll recall that in 'A Healthier Wales', we do talk about more central funds, we talk about having a national clinical plan, we talk about having a central NHS executive for Wales as well, and that work is well under way and is being drawn together. And I will consider options for the creation of that body to provide that clearer central guidance and leadership within the service to work together with our health boards and trusts here in Wales.