Diagnostic Services

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 1:44 pm on 2 December 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:44, 2 December 2020

Thank you for the Member's question. Of course, we rehearsed some of this last week in the short debate on the cross-party group on cancer's report. I do want to reiterate my thanks for not just the Member but Members across the Chamber who have highlighted this as an issue. It's a really important issue—to have the right equipment and, also, the right staff to be able to use that equipment to care for people in Wales. We've invested over £30 million in the last three years in large diagnostic equipment and about £15 million was invested over this year in diagnostics. Also, of course, I opened the National Imaging Academy Wales in Pencoed, and that is really helping us to have not just a new generation of people trained, but to keep them in Wales as well. In the coming days, I'll confirm training figures for a number of areas for staff across the health service, and that will include issues around diagnostics too. I also expect to be in a position in the coming days to confirm where we are with the further steps on the national endoscopy action plan as well. This isn't a matter of if we'll invest in the future of diagnostics; it's about how much we'll do. And I'll repeat the commitment I gave to the Member last week that we will respond properly and in writing to the cross-party group on cancer's report, including the sections on the diagnostic workforce.