Primary Care Services

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 16 March 2021.

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Photo of Helen Mary Jones Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru 2:28, 16 March 2021

I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer. Of course health boards have had to make changes in the provision of primary care. One instance in my region is that the surgery in the village of Trimsaran has had to be temporarily closed so that that is kept as a space that can be used for treating COVID patients if necessary. The community has accepted this, but they are concerned with the immediate situation, because they have to travel now to Kidwelly, and at the same time the bus services have been cut because of COVID—a perfect storm, but perhaps unavoidable. But there is a suspicion that the health board may use the COVID crisis to permanently close that surgery. Obviously, I think we'd want to congratulate the health board on how they've handled the crisis, and these operational matters are not matters for the First Minister, but can I ask the First Minister today if he can reassure my constituents in Trimsaran that the Welsh Government does not expect any changes to primary care services that have been made because of the COVID crisis to be extended beyond the pandemic without proper assessment and consultation?