On amendment 5? I'm going on to amendment 5 now, yes.

So, I understand, as I said, that the health board are reflecting upon the outcome of the programme, and they are looking at the current and future population in the area, and of course the reality of staff recruitment. Members across the Chamber will know simply calling for the south Wales programme to end doesn't really answer the problem—it avoids the problem. The health board is responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient staffing to deliver safe services for patients, and it's not for Ministers to intervene in local operational matters. The Government will therefore abstain on amendment 5.

While I understand some concerns have been raised about the health board's attempts to recruit, it's important that we recognise that the health board has been actively recruiting to ensure that there is sufficient consultant support, but that has been through a reliance on locums, and more recently utilising some consultants from the Princess of Wales, but this is not a sustainable position going forward. The health Minister has also discussed at length on a number of occasions the challenges of attracting and retaining emergency medicine consultants in what is a shortage profession across the UK. The immediacy of the current position in Cwm Taf Morgannwg has arisen because of staffing shortages, and it would be wrong to ignore the challenges the health board is facing.

Health Education and Improvement Wales is already developing a joint health and social care workforce strategy. Four doctors in training are expected to achieve their certificate of completion of training in emergency medicine this summer and take up posts as consultants across Wales. Between 2021 and 2025, a further 62 doctors are expected to achieve their certificate of completion of training. The national unscheduled care board has been established and has reviewed the workforce requirements for emergency medicine and the further expansion of the consultant workforce, supported by Health Education and Improvement Wales. However, that in itself isn't an answer to all the concerns of Members and the public. There are no quick, easy fixes.

We know that people care deeply about the future of our NHS, and everyone here does as well. We expect all of our decision makers in the NHS to listen to what their public and their elected representatives have to say, to be open, honest and transparent with the public and their staff. We expect our NHS to make choices and deliver a robust, safe service.

The health board will be receiving a further update on the exploratory work being undertaken on the future proposals, including the feedback received during the engagement process, at their next public board meeting at the end of March, where they will decide the next steps. I repeat: no decision has yet been made.