, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Access to Primary Care Services
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I am pleased to provide an update on our programme for government commitment to delivering better access to doctors, nurses, dentists and other health professionals in primary care services. At the outset, I think it is…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Minister for Health and Social Services
Every day, I ask myself if I can continue to do this thankless job. But every day, I realise that I've got something to offer, and that is that I care. I want to provide the best possible health and care service for the people of Wales. I want our Welsh NHS…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Minister for Health and Social Services
Being Minister for health after a pandemic is very difficult work, particularly when the resources aren't available after years of austerity as a result of the actions of the Conservatives. I have taken decisive action in terms of intervening in Betsi…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Minister for Health and Social Services
No, I'm not giving way. I'd like to take this opportunity to address some of the false rhetoric being bandied about by the Conservatives today—that we voted to cut spending on the NHS. Many years ago, yes, we redistributed health funding to social care, and…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Minister for Health and Social Services
Today, he's desperately trying to persuade us that he didn't knowingly mislead MPs over all those lockdown parties at No. 10. This technique, calling for a no-confidence vote, has become a desperate act of distraction by opposition parties incapable of…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Minister for Health and Social Services
Llywydd, it's not an easy job being health Minister after a pandemic when waiting lists went soaring everywhere and Tory austerity left our public services fragile and our older sicker and poorer population were left more desperate than ever. But I'm…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks, Jenny. Well, I'm really excited about this new approach. I think this is something that I hope will work in Blaenau Ffestiniog. If we find that it does work, then obviously what we'll try and do is to target those areas of deprivation as a priority…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thank you, Heledd. Well, I think it is clear that those amongst the 140,000 who received an opportunity to have treatment for the first time in a long time, and those opportunities are available—we're paying for those. So, the contract ensures that there is…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Well, one of the things we're seeking to do, and Cefin will be aware of just how difficult it is to recruit people to rural Wales in the field of dentistry, and that does create greater issues in rural areas than it does in some of our more urban areas…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks very much. Well, we are making efforts to recruit new dentists, and to be honest, Brexit didn't help the situation, and certainly I know a lot of eastern European dentists went home, following Brexit. Just in terms of the issue about paying for dental…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks very much. Well, you'll be aware that in Aneurin Bevan we've seen 24,500 new NHS patients being seen as a result of the new contract. The course of treatment undertaken, obviously, is something that I think we just need to make sure we've got that in…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Diolch yn fawr, Jane. I acknowledge there's a two-tier system. I've made that absolutely clear. There always has been. And in an ideal world, I would love it if we could get to a system where everybody was able to access an NHS dentist. But, actually, it's…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thank you. Well, the fact is that these dentists have already delivered to a great extent. What I asked was that they shift from seeing people who have healthy mouths and seeing them regularly, as was the case in the past—. Around 60 per cent people have…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks very much. Well, I’m on a mission with this, so I’m really keen to see this. This is something that I’ve very much tried to drive forward. What I’m keen to do is to make sure that we have at least a six-month roll-out of the programme and see how that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks very much. I recognise that there are individual circumstances, and there are 20 of those that we have to consider, and that's why they've gone. But, as I say, what happens is that you don't lose the NHS dental appointments there; they are re-tendered…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Look, I accept that everything is not perfect. I accept that there is a huge way to go in this very difficult area. But, as I reiterate, we do not employ these people directly. They are independent practitioners, and we have to convince them to come with us…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
So, about 45 per cent of the patients who receive NHS dental treatment at the moment are exempt from patient charges as it is, and then, when patients are charged, if you look at how much they’re charged in Wales compared to England, on band 1, people are…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Thanks very much, Russell. I think what I tried to make clear in my opening statement is that, actually, there is—we’ve acknowledged that there is—a multitier system. I mean, this is not something new. It has always been the case, that there has been an NHS…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
I'd also like to update Members on how we're working on the unique challenge that rurality creates for our dental services. One issue is the workforce. Sometimes, it's difficult to recruit people into rural areas, and we know that people are more likely to…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Dental Reform
Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. The oral health response to 'A Healthier Wales' set out how oral health and dental services in Wales would continue to develop in line with the changing needs of the population. Our vision for dentistry builds on the philosophy…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Thank you very much. I hope that the Chamber has understood how committed I am to this cause. I also want to note that it's International Women's Day, and I want to take this opportunity particularly to thank all the women who work in the NHS and in our care…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
I am committed to the priorities set out in the women and girls health quality statement, for which NHS Wales is developing a 10-year women’s health plan. This includes the expectation that all health boards will ensure equitable and timely access to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Thanks very much. Well, I can flesh some of this out in the statement that I was hoping to make last week but I'll be making, I think, next week on dentistry. I think what's important is that we appreciate, as you say, the work that the community dental…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Well, Sam, I commend you on the incredible research work you've done there, because that's a huge amount of research work. What I can say is that there are those 26,000 new patients. Now, obviously, we're getting to the end of the financial year and we'll be…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Access to NHS dentistry in north Wales has improved significantly since the introduction of alternative activity measures in April 2022. Ninety-six per cent of dental practices who are offering NHS services have opted in to these reform measures, which…
