Part of 4. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:30 pm on 5 February 2020.
In my communications with the health board, I continue to stress the importance of making progress against the special measures framework. I've set out objectively and clearly and in public—and it's the same conversation that I have in the direct accountability meetings with the health board—to make real progress on unscheduled care and scheduled care, to continue to make progress on mental health services, to continue to see improvement in the finance function as well—without that financial discipline, they're unlikely to see improvements in other areas—and the support that the Welsh Government could provide is actually about having a proper plan to be able to get behind and support the health board with. And I recognise that Jack Sargeant, of course, as with other North Wales Members, have raised issues with me over a period of time, and I'm sure that the interim chief executive will be keen to meet elected representatives across the spectrum, sooner rather than later.
And, in terms of the particular point that you raise today, which we've discussed in the past, about minor injuries provision, part of the interesting point here is that, on major emergency department performance, we're within 2 percentage points of England on major performance. Our challenge is largely because of our ability to deal with some of our emergency patients but, actually, not to see minor injuries provision left to the side. So, there is a challenge, not just in north-east Wales, but more broadly, and I know that's one of the challenges that not just I have discussed, but I know that the interim and the future chief executive will want to address as well.
And, on mental health, the health board does have more work to do. But, actually, if you look at what the health board is able to do, it is in a much better position now than it has been previously. And, in fact, if you look at the roll-out of I CAN Work, thousands of people are going to take part in an initiative developed in north Wales, recognised outside of Wales as well, and it's something other people are interested in doing. And it's had a roll-out in Conwy and Denbighshire too. So, there are good reasons to be optimistic about a range of things the health board has, and yet we also know there are significant challenges in the main functions of the health board to deliver. So, it's an honest reflection of where it is, but not collapsing into the idea that everything is going wrong and everything is unacceptable in north Wales, because that simply isn't true.