17 September 2026 , Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
The one that you will have heard me mention several times, and I've made many statements about it, is waiting lists, particularly the two-year waiting lists. It's clear to me that not only has that been an issue for several years now, but there is more…
17 September 2026 , Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Thank you. Can I check that the interpretation equipment is working, that everyone can hear the interpretation? Thank you very much for the invitation to join you this morning. It's a strange feeling to be at this side of the table, discussing and presenting…
17 September 2026 , Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Yes. I'm Mabon, by the way, Cabinet Minister for health, Mabon ap Gwynfor. We've got Jacqueline Totterdell, who's director general of the NHS, Sioned Rees here, and then Albert Healey. Albert is supporting Delyth, and Sioned is supporting Nerys.
16 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
As well as responding to the situation as it is, we must also consider the future of health visitor services. The Welsh Government remains fully committed to maintaining a secure and sustainable health visitor workforce across Wales. That's why the Chief…
16 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
It's not up to me to decide on the process that the health board has taken. This is an issue for the health board to resolve. They created this situation, Unite are in dispute, and they now have to come together. That's the situation we're in. It's not up to…
16 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
The Government amendment reflects the reality that this remains a local employment dispute between the health board as employer and Unite as the recognised trade union, and, as such, these matters must be resolved through the established employer, trade union…
16 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
Thank you, Llywydd. I welcome the opportunity to respond to this debate. I'll start by endorsing what has already been said about the vital role that health visitors have in supporting babies, children and families across Wales. Their work is often done with…
16 September 2026 , Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute
Formally.
8 July 2026 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Ophthalmology services
Over 2,000 care episodes a month are managed by independent prescribing optometrists in the community, which helps to reduce unnecessary demand on hospital and GP services. But we have to go further. The future of eye care calls for more than just expanding…
8 July 2026 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Ophthalmology services
Sight loss has profound consequences for individuals, families and communities, affecting a person's independence, ability to work, education, mobility, mental well-being and participation in everyday life. Preventing avoidable sight loss is about maintaining…
8 July 2026 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Ophthalmology services
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. In the previous Senedd, I was a member of the Health and Social Care Committee, which conducted the inquiry into ophthalmology, and I heard first-hand the challenges experienced by too many people. The report made 17…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you very much to the Member for that question. It's quite right to say that we need to focus on social care and ensure that we have that provision so that people can leave hospitals. When it comes to bed numbers, we have committed, as I mentioned, to…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
The message is perfectly clear from the Member—nobody should have to choose between heating their homes and safeguarding their health. Ensuring that this Government works across departments to ensure that it improves outcomes for people's health is at the…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
The issue of the state of the Heath has been raised a number of times in this Siambr, and I agree, it is in a poor state, in as much as we need to see improvements there happen quickly. That's why we are concentrating on ensuring that that urgent backlog is…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Dirprwy Lywydd, our first priority is understanding how we use our beds, which is the first point raised by the Member. We must have a clear shared understanding of our true bed capacity, supported by robust data and intelligence. And without a grip on that…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you to the Member for those points and, yes, the NHS is in a precarious position and we've seen far too many sticking plasters applied to the NHS. What struck me when I was appointed to this role was the fact that previous Governments just had a…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Some good news on what was said: the latest Public Health Wales estimates point to an uptake of 46.1 per cent for children aged two and three years, which is an increase of 2.5 per cent, alongside an estimated additional 150,000 influenza vaccinations that…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you for those points that you raised, Natasha. Dirprwy Lywydd, it's always nice to hear kind words at the beginning of every contribution, and once again, I welcome the warm words received from Natasha. There are a couple of fundamental points in the…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you for those points that you raised. And it is a very important point that you raised; the thread of your contribution is about ensuring that we work cross-Government, breaking down those silos and making sure that everybody plays a role in ensuring…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you very much to the Member for those questions.
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Dirprwy Lywydd, a number of very pertinent questions there and I'll try my best to go through as many of them as I can in the time I have. And I will be testing your patience, I know, because I have been speaking quite a lot this afternoon. I like the fact…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Health boards and partners must support and sustain their workforce, ensuring that staff are well led, well deployed and properly supported so they can continue to deliver safe and timely care under pressure. Dirprwy Lywydd, none of this can be delivered by…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
However, Dirprwy Lywydd, I can assure the Senedd that the hard work to ensure that our communities are safe and healthy through the cold of the forthcoming winter has already begun. The clearest lesson from last winter is that resilience depends on reliable…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Health and care winter 2026-27 preparedness
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Today, I'm setting out how we are preparing for winter 2026-27. We have reviewed winter 2025-26 in full, and I would like to begin by thanking staff across the NHS, local government and social care for their commitment and…
30 June 2026 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: Improving Leadership and Performance at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
Dirprwy Lywydd, the Member is entirely right in saying that we need to see improvements as a matter of urgency, and I agree and sympathise with what the Member has said. That's why I have listed very clearly our expectations of the board so that they can come…
