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00:00Rhun ap Iorwerth AM, Llywydd.
00:02Thank you, First Minister.
00:03In reading all the emails Iíve received from constituents, it doesnít take too long to
00:08realise what their main concerns are, and the messages are quite clear that they are
00:14concerned about waiting lists in the health service for all sorts of conditions.
00:20But these messages contradict the story published by your Government last week, stating that
00:28the monitoring level for Hywel Dda University Local Health Board will be downgraded from
00:33level 4 to level 3, and that was done partly, according to the announcement, as a result
00:39of improvements in provision for mental health services.
00:43But despite the announcement, there was a report hours later that the provision for
00:50non-urgent mental health cases in north Ceredigion would be coming to an end.
00:56Nearly 56 per cent of the 147 mental health cases in north Ceredigion have care and treatment
01:05plans in place, which falls a long way short of the target of 90 per cent that you yourself
01:12have set.
01:13Thatís just a microcosm, First Minister, of the grave situation in terms of unacceptable
01:18waiting lists in my region.
01:21So, when will you and your Government truly tackle this situation, and is the evidence
01:28for the change in monitoring levels for health boards robust enough?
01:33Thank you very much, and Iím sure youíre also pleased to hear the fact that it looks
01:38likely that they will meet that target of reducing those waiting for two years to be
01:48seen, which is to be welcomed.
01:51Itís good to see, because things have improved in terms of mental health, that we have been
01:58able to see that de-escalation in the health board.
02:04I know that there is a unique problem in the Ceredigion area at present, and I am aware
02:11of that.
02:13Now, the point at present is that there are many vacancies available, and theyíve failed
02:22to appoint to the substantive consultant psychiatrist post.
02:28So, what theyíve done is brought a specialist nurse in over the short term.
02:35These posts are out for ads at present, but it is very important that people receive the
02:44care that they need, and thatís why itís important, if there is a need, if the service
02:50isnít available there, that they can go somewhere where they can receive that care in that short
02:55term while theyíre recruiting.