2. What additional pressure is the cost-of-living crisis placing on the NHS in relation to people with complex health conditions living at home? OQ59125

We recognise that there may be a link between the cost-of-living crisis and potential negative impacts on the NHS. We expect the health and care sector to identify those at most risk and signpost people to appropriate support as a way of averting demand on health services.

Supporting patients to stay at home is an important part of keeping pressures off the NHS, but there are numerous cases. I have a constituent who needs dialysis at home three times a week. That costs £20 a day in terms of energy to run the dialysis machine. The hospital provides £40 every three months. So, clearly, she can't afford it. She's also reliant on a food bank, but she has particular dietary needs that can't be met by the food bank. So, despite the signposting that's happening, there are too many people falling through the cracks. So, my question, Minister, is this: putting yourself in the shoes of my constituent, would you choose to run up debts for food and energy in order to safeguard your health, or would you cut back on the cost of energy and specialist food that are crucial to keeping you alive?

NHS Wales does help people who have dialysis at home to pay their bills. The Welsh renal network pays home dialysis patients' out-of-pocket expenses, i.e. the additional amounts of electricity and water that you use for the purpose of carrying out your dialysis treatment in your own home, as prescribed by their renal team. There are a number of renal charities as well in Wales that also provide financial support if patients are struggling. In addition, all renal patients in Wales have been advised to register with their energy provider on their priority services register. I don't know if there's anything within that information that you can pass on to your constituent that perhaps they haven't looked into as yet.

Minister, a year ago, the Welsh Conservatives put forward a motion asking the Welsh Government to provide free dentistry services for those undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy to alleviate the negative side effects of treatment but also allowing patients to focus more on their recovery rather than having to worry about the extra costs. At the time, the Welsh Government rejected this proposal, but, given the cost-of-living challenges that we're aware of and the fact that these challenges have gotten much harder over the past year, can I ask, Minister, is this something that you would be willing to discuss with your colleagues and to reconsider this position?

We certainly know that patients suffering from cancer often have many additional costs. They may have to give up work, for instance, and they aren't able to access their salary in the way that they would normally do. Clearly, these are all things that health teams would consider, and I'm sure the Minister for Health and Social Services would. But, again, I go back to a previous answer that, with the budget that we have, we've obviously carved that budget up in a certain way, and I don't think there is much room for manoeuvre for additional costs. But, I absolutely accept what you're saying and I know there are charities that look after patients with cancer who help with costs. Again, I would encourage constituents to try and access that.