Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:51 pm on 1 December 2021.

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Photo of Russell George Russell George Conservative 2:51, 1 December 2021

Thank you, Minister. I appreciate, if this is a misunderstanding, that's positive—perhaps a step forward in terms of making sure that we do have those booster walk-in vaccination centres across Wales, because some health boards are already operating those. So, I think perhaps it would be helpful to provide health boards with clarification in terms of your views in regard to booster walk-in centres.

You and I both know, Minister, that we're facing, of course, an unprecedented level of demand on the NHS. We've got the worst accident and emergency waiting times, sadly, on record, alongside the slowest ambulance response times on record. On top of that, one in five of the Welsh population are stuck on a waiting list. Specifically, it's deeply concerning that 59 per cent of cancer patients were treated within 62 days of being suspected of having cancer. We also know from your own figures that 20,000 fewer people were urgently referred for a cancer diagnosis between March and November of last year, compared to the previous year, before the pandemic, and 1,700 fewer people began treatment in the first few years of the pandemic. So, the cancer workforce is also overstretched beyond capacity. Now, your predecessor published the quality statement for cancer in March, but this has been severely criticised by the Cancer Alliance for lacking detail and accountability, meaning we're soon going to be the only UK nation without a cancer strategy. So, I'm sure you'll be responding in more detail to the Member debate this afternoon. But, can I ask you how far you are with your plans to roll out rapid diagnosis centres across each health board, what progress you are making on regional surgical hubs, and when will you be publishing the cancer workforce strategy?