2. Will the Minister provide an update on the effectiveness of the invest-to-save scheme? OQ57348

The invest-to-save scheme programme continues to provide support for a range of change initiatives that are being undertaken across the Welsh public and third sectors. Since 2009, the fund has made investments approaching £200 million in value.

Can I thank the Minister for that response? I fully support the use of invest-to-save—it is a sensible way forward, especially when it reduces fixed costs. Can the Minister give an example of a successful invest-to-save scheme that has been extended to other areas, and how they expect it to achieve, and what has been learnt from that extension?

I have to say, Llywydd, that Mike Hedges has always been a really, really strong proponent of invest-to-save, recognising the value that it brings. And I think we do have some really good examples of projects that are doing exactly what Mike Hedges has outlined—for example, the electronic patient records. That was a project that removes the need for storage space, and also enables a much more efficient way to access patient information, and it saves the need then for those files to be transported across geographic locations—a great project that, of course, is having an impact elsewhere now in the NHS. And I would also include our theatre stock control system project as an example. It creates efficiencies through maintaining economic stock levels and increasing the security around the storage of items. And then, also, our nurse recruitment programmes, which are also saving on the cost of recruitment of agency staff. But I am always aware that good practice doesn't always travel well. So, we've been working with Cardiff University to identify the barriers and enablers to ensuring that the good practice does spread in the way that Mike Hedges has outlined.