I think it's fair to say that the ongoing governance and management problems at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board since 2013 must, without a shadow of a doubt, be an enormous source of deep regret and embarrassment for the Welsh Government. Despite several reviews and reports being conducted over the past four years, progress has been dreadfully slow, financial management has been ineffective, and most importantly, concerns over patient care still remain. The staff and medical professionals in north Wales who are working hard under very difficult circumstances deserve proper and appropriate leadership and support from the Welsh Government.

As Mark Isherwood and Janet Finch-Saunders said earlier, only a few weeks ago the Assembly's Public Accounts Committee published the latest in a string of reviews into the governance arrangements at the health board. That cross-party report concluded that Welsh Government support has been insufficient and that actions had little practical impact on changing the health board's performance. After four long years of the health board being placed in special measures, the Welsh Government has simply continued to preside over a service that is continuing to let some patients down. Now, in giving evidence to that inquiry, Mark Thornton, the chair of the North Wales Community Health Council, shared their frustrations by comparing the Welsh Government's inaction with action that had been taken across the border. He said that, and I quote,

'They seem to have a slightly different approach in that they actually bring much more resource, expertise, whatever's needed to actually set a health board onto an even keel and provide a stable platform for a health board to make the improvements required to come out of special measures. As far as we're aware, the health board was provided with some expertise in terms of the special advisers, but certainly initially at least we didn't see a lot else.'

Now, those aren't my words, or even the committee's words, but the words of the community health council in representing local patients. The evidence they gave to the inquiry is damning. Despite the Welsh Government knowing of the ongoing governance and financial difficulties of the health board, it seems to me that the CHC believe that rectifying the matter is simply not a serious priority for the Welsh Government. As a result, patients is north Wales are continuing not to receive the health service they deserve, particularly when it comes to mental health services, as Jack Sargeant said earlier.

The reality on the ground is that whilst report after report criticises both the health board and the Welsh Government, real people in north Wales are simply not receiving the care they need and deserve. As Angela Burns said earlier, there's also a real question here about humility and the Welsh Government's handling of the whole situation. In responding to the Public Accounts Committee, the Welsh Government said that, and I quote:

'We also recognise the further progress and action must be delivered to tackling long standing issues and will work alongside the Chair and the leadership team to ensure turnaround and de-escalation from special measures.'

Nowhere, nowhere in that statement is there a genuine apology to those families in north Wales who, in the past four years, have suffered. Nowhere in that statement does the Welsh Government come forward with concrete action or take any leadership of the situation. Instead, the Welsh Government just dusted off its regurgitated 'We'll work with the heath board' statement. Well, that is simply not good enough anymore, and it’s simply not going to wash with people in north Wales who've heard this all before.

It should be a matter of regret for all Welsh politicians that there’s a part of Wales that will shortly be entering its fifth year of being placed in special measures, and yet the Welsh Government seems settled on special measures being the new norm for healthcare services in Wales. What will it take for the Welsh Government to show some leadership and commit to fully addressing this crisis? And in the meantime, how many patients will have to suffer? If the Welsh Government does not make real progress in the immediate future, then people in north Wales will feel let down by a Government that they will see as just being too Cardiff-centric. And can you really blame the people of north Wales for feeling that way?

Dirprwy Lywydd, today’s debate gives the Welsh Government an opportunity to change the record and come forward with a concrete strategy that provides a real commitment to the people of north Wales that it will finally get a grip of this issue. And hopefully, the Minister will show a little humility to those people for the catalogue of failings that he and his Government have overseen.

At the start of this year, Donna Ockenden told the Minister directly that staff had told her that services were going backwards. Fast forward to two weeks ago and a report endorsed and signed off by every party in this Chamber concluded that it is apparent that the Welsh Government's interventions have had little practical impact. Therefore, it's time that the Welsh Government steps up and finally accepts responsibility for the failures that have taken place while Betsi Cadwaladr has been in special measures, and make this matter an urgent priority. And so I urge Members to support this motion, and I call on the Welsh Government to start delivering a service in north Wales that’s actually fit for the twenty-first century.