Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:11 pm on 5 October 2021.
Thanks very much, Altaf. Certainly, I think it's fair to say that there is an understanding, of course, that maternity services are a priority not just for the local community, but also for the health board. It is one of the key areas that is the responsibility of the NHS—to make sure that babies are delivered safely. Of course, like other services, there has been a loss of momentum as a result of COVID. You wouldn't expect anything else. So, it has been knocked off track slightly, but we are very keen to make sure that we do all we can to get things back on track, and that we don't change the need to address the issue of culture within the organisation. And I agree with you that the picture that's painted in the report is bleak, and it is critical that we listen to the views of women who were affected by the services that they had.
But I think you make a really fair point in terms of the need for the board of Cwm Taf Morgannwg to take a real interest in this, and that their role in oversight is absolutely critical. And that's why I'm very pleased that Emrys Elias has taken this seriously. I know he understands the need to really focus on this as an issue, and it's not just this as an issue, but also the broader governance issues that really need to be addressed, particularly within this health board.