The issues of health, housing and transport, dominated a public question and answer session with First Minister Carwyn Jones.
Held on Thursday, November 17, at the Y Gwindy school campus in Caerphilly town, the Welsh Labour leader faced questions on local GP and hospital services, the electrification of the Valleys railway lines and Caerphilly County Borough Council’s scrapped Local Development Plan.
On health, the First Minister pledged to work with GPs to ensure a consistent level of service so that patients did not have to wait weeks for an appointment.
When asked if a 24-hour doctor-led Accident and Emergency unit at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr was possible, he replied there was a difficulty in recruiting A&E consultants.
He said out of around 30,000 patients seen at the 24-hour minor injuries unit at the hospital every year, 600 were referred on.
He explained: “The question is do you try to recruit, with great difficulty, many, many, staff for the sake of two people a day who need A&E treatment?”
On the hot topic of new housing developments being built in Caerphilly County Borough, and the row over the council’s Local Development Plan, Mr Jones said local authorities had to balance the need for housing against other factors such as keeping green spaces available.
I expect all those Blairite people at this lovely meeting had a really nice time.
What a waste of time? Actions speak louder than words Carwyn!