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| Health Minister Mark Drakeford's hospital revamp commitment | Health Minister Mark Drakeford's hospital revamp commitment |
| (10 days later) | |
| Wales' new health minister says he wants to see a controversial hospital reorganisation which has attracted huge opposition through to its conclusion. | Wales' new health minister says he wants to see a controversial hospital reorganisation which has attracted huge opposition through to its conclusion. |
| Mark Drakeford outlined his priorities as he was sworn into the job on Monday. | Mark Drakeford outlined his priorities as he was sworn into the job on Monday. |
| His predecessor Lesley Griffiths came under strong pressure over plans by local health boards to close hospitals and move services in a major shake-up. | His predecessor Lesley Griffiths came under strong pressure over plans by local health boards to close hospitals and move services in a major shake-up. |
| But Mr Drakeford said people would live with the changes once there was "certainty". | But Mr Drakeford said people would live with the changes once there was "certainty". |
| The Welsh government has insisted changes are needed to make the NHS safe and sustainable. | The Welsh government has insisted changes are needed to make the NHS safe and sustainable. |
| Decisions promised | Decisions promised |
| Mr Drakeford, appointed in a surprise cabinet reshuffle last week, said: "My aim is to bring the process to a conclusion. | Mr Drakeford, appointed in a surprise cabinet reshuffle last week, said: "My aim is to bring the process to a conclusion. |
| "I think people now need to know what the end of this is going to be. | "I think people now need to know what the end of this is going to be. |
| "Not everybody will be happy, I'm sure, with where the final decisions lie, I completely understand that. | "Not everybody will be happy, I'm sure, with where the final decisions lie, I completely understand that. |
| "But I want to be able to give them certainty and once there is certainty then I think people will live with that, adapt to that and get on with the job." | "But I want to be able to give them certainty and once there is certainty then I think people will live with that, adapt to that and get on with the job." |
| The proposals to reorganise how health services are delivered have attracted major criticism in some communities, leading to demonstrations. | The proposals to reorganise how health services are delivered have attracted major criticism in some communities, leading to demonstrations. |
| In north Wales, it includes plans to close four community hospitals and transfer care for the most sick and premature babies across the border to England. | In north Wales, it includes plans to close four community hospitals and transfer care for the most sick and premature babies across the border to England. |
| Parts of the shake-up in north Wales have been referred to the Welsh government by the local health watchdog, with campaigners saying this had "blown huge holes" in the health proposals. | Parts of the shake-up in north Wales have been referred to the Welsh government by the local health watchdog, with campaigners saying this had "blown huge holes" in the health proposals. |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones said he would personally decide whether to "call in" the decision over specialist care for sick babies. | First Minister Carwyn Jones said he would personally decide whether to "call in" the decision over specialist care for sick babies. |
| It has been a similar story in mid and west Wales where some of Hywel Dda health board's proposals have met strong resistance. | It has been a similar story in mid and west Wales where some of Hywel Dda health board's proposals have met strong resistance. |
| Among the changes proposed are closing a special care baby unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, and shutting two minor injuries units at Tenby and South Pembrokeshire plus a community hospital in Tumble. | Among the changes proposed are closing a special care baby unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, and shutting two minor injuries units at Tenby and South Pembrokeshire plus a community hospital in Tumble. |
| Hywel Dda Community Health Council (CHC) - the patients' watchdog for the region - said an initial request to refer the health changes to the then health minister Ms Griffiths for a decision was rejected. | Hywel Dda Community Health Council (CHC) - the patients' watchdog for the region - said an initial request to refer the health changes to the then health minister Ms Griffiths for a decision was rejected. |
| Ms Griffiths called on the CHC to conduct more negotiations with the health board before asking for intervention from the Welsh government. | Ms Griffiths called on the CHC to conduct more negotiations with the health board before asking for intervention from the Welsh government. |
| But the watchdog says the three week deadline for fresh talks is too soon, especially as it includes the Easter holiday. | |
| 'Difficult times' | 'Difficult times' |
| At a press conference the first minister denied Mr Drakeford's predecessor had failed to sell the changes. | At a press conference the first minister denied Mr Drakeford's predecessor had failed to sell the changes. |
| He said: "These are difficult times in terms of health, we know that. People always want to have services delivered as locally as possible. | He said: "These are difficult times in terms of health, we know that. People always want to have services delivered as locally as possible. |
| "The difficulty is of course ensuring those services are safe and sustainable. | "The difficulty is of course ensuring those services are safe and sustainable. |
| "As far as ministers are concerned I'm very confident that I have a strong team. It's important from time to time that people are given new challenges." | "As far as ministers are concerned I'm very confident that I have a strong team. It's important from time to time that people are given new challenges." |
| He added: "As far as health is concerned there can be no change of direction. We know that we need a safe and sustainable health service in future." | He added: "As far as health is concerned there can be no change of direction. We know that we need a safe and sustainable health service in future." |
| He said there would be another reshuffle before the next election in 2016, at which point he would bring fresh blood in to the government. | He said there would be another reshuffle before the next election in 2016, at which point he would bring fresh blood in to the government. |
| Nobody was dropped from the cabinet last week and, apart from Mr Drakeford, the only other promotion to the top table was Alun Davies. | Nobody was dropped from the cabinet last week and, apart from Mr Drakeford, the only other promotion to the top table was Alun Davies. |
| Mr Davies was sworn in on Monday as the new minister for natural resources and food. He was previously the deputy minister for agriculture. | Mr Davies was sworn in on Monday as the new minister for natural resources and food. He was previously the deputy minister for agriculture. |
| Ms Griffiths was moved to the local government brief in the most notable change of Mr Jones' reshuffle. | Ms Griffiths was moved to the local government brief in the most notable change of Mr Jones' reshuffle. |
| She carried out her first official engagement in the new job on Monday launching a scheme in Newport to help improve the response from agencies to children who go missing. | She carried out her first official engagement in the new job on Monday launching a scheme in Newport to help improve the response from agencies to children who go missing. |
| Mr Drakeford said the shake-up of hospital services was one of three top priorities, along with taking legislation through the assembly and getting to grips with the financial pressures on the NHS. | Mr Drakeford said the shake-up of hospital services was one of three top priorities, along with taking legislation through the assembly and getting to grips with the financial pressures on the NHS. |
| He will take charge of a bill to change the law on organ donation and introduce a system of presumed consent. | He will take charge of a bill to change the law on organ donation and introduce a system of presumed consent. |
| The assembly's cross-party health committee, which Mr Drakeford chaired until his promotion to the cabinet, has just finished looking at the bill and has produced a report that he will have to respond as the minister. | The assembly's cross-party health committee, which Mr Drakeford chaired until his promotion to the cabinet, has just finished looking at the bill and has produced a report that he will have to respond as the minister. |
| "I am expecting that it will raise some important questions and issues that need to be resolved, but that's the whole point of having a scrutiny process about legislation," he told BBC Wales. | "I am expecting that it will raise some important questions and issues that need to be resolved, but that's the whole point of having a scrutiny process about legislation," he told BBC Wales. |
| He said his predecessor had made it clear that NHS organisations had "a fixed budget to live within and they are expected to deliver services within it". | He said his predecessor had made it clear that NHS organisations had "a fixed budget to live within and they are expected to deliver services within it". |
| With days to go before the next financial year starts in April, he said he would want to "learn the lessons for next year". | With days to go before the next financial year starts in April, he said he would want to "learn the lessons for next year". |