Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 19 November 2019.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:39, 19 November 2019

I think there are three points I'd make in response to the Member. The first is that, of course, we have had the royal college's view because I acted, intervened and ordered that review to take place. I then acted and intervened in the health board in changing the escalation status of the health board. So, I have acted and I've put additional support around the health board, and, of course, at the time when I announced those measures, I indicated that this review from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office would be provided. And it's important that it is, because we want an honest picture of what's happened within Cwm Taf, as it was, and Cwm Taf Morgannwg as it now is, because the honesty and the clarity in what's happened and the steps that are being taken are important to provide reassurance and confidence for members of the public, including, of course, the staff. The second quarterly report on maternity services will be published and made public in January, on schedule, and I expect that there will be questions, which I'll be happy to answer at that point in time, about the nature of the progress that has been made and, indeed, the progress yet to come. 

And the third point I'd make is that I recognise the Member regularly uses opportunities to call for me to leave my post, but when it comes to the direct experience I've had with families, they have been very clear that they positively want me to stay in post as the health Minister to see through the programme of improvement that is required. [Interruption.] And I've had direct conversations with families who've made it very clear that that's their expectation—