Health Inequalities

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 3 July 2019.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 2:43, 3 July 2019

I'm genuinely interested in not just what the evidence tells us but where there is innovation as well for parts of our healthcare system and the outcomes we deliver and the reality that health inequalities exist in virtually every area of experience and outcomes. I know that ASH have been particularly interested in developing services that are aimed at young people and are effective in getting young people to engage in smoking cessation but equally messages about not taking up smoking in the first place. I know that my officials have regular contact with ASH Wales. And, as I say, I'm always interested about the evidence base that they are developing, and for some of their interventions, we've provided support for some of those in the past, but this will have to be a significant area of activity, because as well as encouraging people to give up smoking, the best port of call, of course, is for us not to take up smoking in the first place. Life lessons and attitudes undertaken before people leave school are a huge important part of that.