5. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Planned Care Recovery Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:22 pm on 26 April 2022.

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Photo of Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan Labour 4:22, 26 April 2022

Well, we certainly are trying to throw the kitchen sink at that, and I can tell you that I don't think the system is broken. A system that actually sees 200,000 people a month I don't think is a system that is broken. And I do think that we should appreciate the incredible work that is being done on a weekly basis by the heroes who are in our system, and I think it's really important that we don't talk down the system too much. We know that there are a lot of people waiting, but let's actually also praise the system for the incredible things that they've been able to achieve.

In terms of the budget, what I can tell you is that we are spending around £10 billion a year on the NHS, which makes up more than half of the Welsh budget. So, it is a lot of money, and what I can tell you is that if you look at the amount we're spending on health and care, then we're spending more than England. For me, the important thing now is not about how much we're spending but are we spending it well. We've absolutely got to start making sure that it's not about just chucking money at it; it's absolutely, 'Is it making a difference?' It's got to be about efficiency. And part of what I intend to do is to make sure that we drive efficiency through this programme and make a huge change in terms of really getting the biggest bang for our buck.