Emergency Services in Pembrokeshire

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:37 pm on 21 September 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:37, 21 September 2021

Well, Llywydd, those supplementary questions are a farrago of speculation dressed up as fact. [Interruption.] I'm well aware of what the health board has published, Mr Davies, and it didn't publish what you have just said. So, I'm well aware of what was published, and I'm happy to correct the record, given what you have just suggested.

Let me go to the start of your question. He is quite right, Llywydd, that, back in 2014, I did indeed accept the recommendation of the royal colleges, accept the recommendation of the expert group that was set up to review services in Withybush, accepted their recommendation that, for the safety of children in that part of Pembrokeshire, specialist services should be concentrated at Glangwili. I'm very glad indeed that I accepted those recommendations, despite his own opposition to them at the time.

What the health board has said, Llywydd, is that the arrangements put in place on 24 March 2020 will not be changed. So, the Member implies to everybody that there is some new change to the services. The health board says, on 24 March 2020, it made adjustments because of coronavirus; those adjustments will not change. He then repeats what he said on the floor of the Chamber last week—an unsubstantiated rumour that the roster review is going to reduce ambulance cover in Pembrokeshire. I've not seen anything to substantiate that. The roster review is a continuous process, it is a national not a local exercise, it's designed to make sure that there are local crews in the right place to respond to the needs of those populations, and that is what the review will continue to do.