7. How is the Welsh Government working with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to improve mental health services? OQ58134

I thank Heledd Fychan. Llywydd, we continue to provide significant and sustained funding to support mental health services across Wales. Over and above its core mental health funding, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board will receive an additional £3.3 million of recurrent service funding this year to invest in improved mental health provision.

Lots of chatting going on behind the First Minister. If we can have a bit of silence for the First Minister, especially from his own Members. Heledd Fychan.

Thank you, First Minister. I'm sure you'll be aware that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales is currently conducting a review focusing and assessing the quality and safety of discharge arrangements for adult patients back into the community from inpatient mental health units within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. This follows a number of sad cases that have been reported in the media, such as the case of Lowri Miller, who died the day after her release from mental health care at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. And also, of course, the case of Zara Anne Radcliffe, who killed John Rees in a shop in Penygraig in May 2020 while suffering from schizophrenia, the same day that her father begged the health and social services board to support her and to take her to hospital.

Many other similar cases of people dying following discharge have come through my office as casework, and what's most concerning is, following the review in 2019 from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and Audit Wales, that 14 recommendations made at that time remain open. I also know of people who need emergency treatment being told that there is no capacity for this, with specialists urging people to go private because, and this is a quote I received this morning from a patient who was told by a doctor—

'The NHS isn't fit for purpose and people are dying waiting for treatment.'

That's a doctor telling a patient to go private, and speaking those words. Is any consideration being given to placing Cwm Taf Morgannwg into special measures? And if no such consideration is being given, will you commit to look at this further as a Government?

Well, we already have a system, Llywydd. When we look into what's going on in any health board, three bodies come together to provide advice to the Minister, and they can provide advice on all of the boards or they can say that we need to provide support for any board working in any area or any part of the health service. I haven't seen anything from the people coming together to advise us to do what Heledd Fychan is suggesting.

As I said, Llywydd, in the original answer, we as a Government provide more funding, as well as everything else the board gets, and the funding they get for their mental health service—£3.3 million in this year, and in the next year, and in the year after that as well—to invest in better mental health provision. By doing that, of course we will be looking to the board to do more and to develop services in the community that help people with mental health problems and to help them to do everything they need to do in their everyday lives without the need to have more services within hospitals. 

And finally question 8, Siân Gwenllian.