Y Pwyllgor Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol

Health and Social Care Committee

Mark Drakeford AC AM

Y Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol

Minister for Health and Social Services

11 October 2013

Dear Mark,

Unscheduled care: preparedness for winter 2013-14

Thank you to you, the Deputy Minister and your officials for your attendance in committee on 9 October to discuss unscheduled care and preparedness for winter 2013-14.

During discussions you agreed to:

- provide clarification of the arrangements to provide children with flu vaccinations via general practice or school, and the relevant ages when such vaccination takes place;

- provide a link to the annual report of GP practice performance against the relevant Quality Outcome Framework;

- provide further detail on the policy of offering elective treatment outside the Welsh NHS if the service does not have the capacity to deliver due to winter pressures; and

- consider undertaking a piece of work to assess the impact of delays to elective care on unscheduled care in Wales.

The Deputy Minister also noted that she would provide the Committee with details of the integrated care projects underway in Wales.

In addition to the points above, the Committee would also welcome further information on:

- how consideration will be given to providing surge capacity across the health and social care system, not hospitals alone, over the winter period; and

- the rationale that will be adopted to distribute the additional £150 million allocated to the health and social services portfolio for the 2013-14 financial year, as announced on 8 October 2013 and discussed in committee on 9 October.

We would welcome receipt of this information by Friday 1 November if possible.

In light of this week’s evidence session, the Committee has agreed to return to this subject during Spring/Summer 2014. The purpose of this follow-up session will be to review progress during winter 2013/14 and to consider the findings of the Public Accounts Committee’s forthcoming inquiry on unscheduled care and the role of local primary care. Depending on the outcomes of this follow-up session, the Committee will consider whether a wider inquiry on unscheduled care is necessary.

Yours sincerely,

David Rees AM

Chair, Health and Social Care Committee