Written question WQ100288
- Asked by
- Gwyn WilliamsPlaid
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Minister for Health and Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 13 days
Question
What consideration has the Cabinet Minister given to setting up a community diagnostic hub for rapid access to blood tests and scans to take the pressure off accident and emergency services and secondary care?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Health and Care (Mabon ap Gwynfor)
Welsh Government has established an independent NHS Wales Elective Care Task and Finish Group to advise on the future development of surgical and diagnostic hubs across Wales. The Group has been specifically asked to consider the role of diagnostic hubs, including how they can best support patient access, improve productivity and complement wider models of care delivered closer to home. The Group will report its recommendations to Welsh Ministers by December 2026.
Alongside this work, specific consideration is already being given to community and regional diagnostic models through ongoing work on diagnostic recovery and the development of a Regional Diagnostic Centre in Powys. This work will help inform future decisions about the most effective configuration of diagnostic services across Wales.
Any future proposals will need to demonstrate improved patient access, effective use of workforce and resources, and clear benefits in reducing pressure on secondary and urgent care services while supporting earlier diagnosis and treatment.