Diagnostic Services

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 2 December 2020.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:46, 2 December 2020

No, I don't have the specific figure for the drop in detection of oral cancers, but I recognise that dentists are about a great deal more than checking how many teeth you have and giving fillings. They make a huge difference to oral hygiene in a range of areas, including helping early warnings with oral cancer. So, it is an area of concern. I think there's a really important point for all of us about what comes after COVID, because we know there's been significant harm done already. We know we need to take further measures to keep more of us alive for the future. But we also know that we're putting off and we'll have to deal with a significant amount of healthcare challenges once we're out the other side of the pandemic. So, this is one of those areas, and we don't yet understand the fall-back about what that will be, when we'll need to plan for it and then deliver against it. Whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so, we will, of course, enable and encourage further healthcare provision to be provided. I don't want to lose sight of the point you made about the vague symptoms work that's been done in Neath Port Talbot Hospital, and the same in the Royal Glamorgan. Again, that's part of what I do expect us to see developing and delivering in the future, together with advice from our clinicians in the cancer network.