Priorities for the NHS in South Wales Central

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:01 pm on 26 November 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:01, 26 November 2019

Llywydd, I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for that serious question, and I agree with almost everything that he said. It is absolutely essential in our health service that, when people have concerns that they have to raise, that they have confidence that the system will listen to them carefully, respond to them seriously, and act on those concerns when those concerns are borne out on investigation. 

Now, the report published on 19 November by the healthcare inspectorate and the Wales Audit Office at Cwm Taf did say that there are steps that are being taken to strengthen quality, safety and governance within the health board, that the new chief executive, for now, is doing a great deal to lead the organisation in that direction. It then provides a series of further recommendations that the health board needs to respond to demonstrate that it is redesigning its structures and processes, and to make sure that the values of openness and of careful attention to what staff members are saying to the board are absolutely embedded in the culture of that organisation. And I share the views that the Member expressed about the importance of that happening right through our health services.