8. Will the First Minister make a statement on the delivery of health services in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area? OQ57400

I thank Paul Davies for that question. Alongside all its other services, the health board has delivered a successful booster vaccination programme during a very challenging Christmas and new year period. It continues to provide the most clinically urgent activities, in the face of escalating staff and patient illness caused by the omicron wave of coronavirus.

Thank you for that response, First Minister. I listened very carefully to your response to the question asked by Heledd Fychan earlier on ambulances, because a constituent has been in touch with me recently to say that an 84-year-old lady had to wait almost 12 hours for an ambulance, having fallen on Christmas Day. I understand that the ambulance service is under huge pressure, but I’m sure you would agree with me that it’s entirely unacceptable to have to wait that long and to be left on a cold kitchen floor. I’ve raised the issue of ambulance services with you a number of times, and, like other Members, I continue to receive correspondence from worried and frustrated constituents, such as the one I’ve just mentioned, who've had to wait far too long for an ambulance. So, in addition to what you said earlier, can you tell us what progress is being made to ensure that ambulances do reach people far more quickly? And can you also tell us what additional investment the Welsh Government is providing for ambulance services in Pembrokeshire, given that this is an issue that has been ongoing for some time?

First of all, I do have to say that, back in September, the Member was asking me questions suggesting that the ambulance service in Hywel Dda was to be reduced. He was wrong then and he is wrong now. Indeed, on that issue, there will be more rather than fewer ambulance staff working in the Hywel Dda area.

Of course I recognise what Paul Davies said in terms of those people living in his constituency. As I told Heledd Fychan, the pressure on the ambulance service is greater than it is on any other aspect of the health service in Wales. People in the service are working extremely hard to try to get support, such as the support from the military, as I mentioned, but they're also looking at recruitment too. The Government has provided those funds. Funding isn’t a problem, because we’ve provided the funds to the ambulance service to recruit more staff in this financial year, and they’re doing so. The problem at the moment is that the number of people who fall ill is increasing, while, simultaneously, the demand for services, and particularly red calls, has increased monthly over the winter months. That creates the problems that the ambulance service is facing and that people on the ground are facing too.

I can tell the Member that I know that the service is working as hard as they possibly can to improve the situation. And, in the figures for the last month where figures are available, which is November, performance for the ambulance service had improved, they were more successful than they were in October. So, there are some things that they are doing that are succeeding, but they're succeeding in a very challenging context.

Thank you very much, First Minister. That concludes that item.